Pages 1 to 101 -- Second half of Volume 203, "The Early Wilderness Encampments" and Other Ministry 1921 - 1929.
Luke 22:7 - 13; Acts 2:41 - 47
J.T. We get in Acts 2 the question of housing. The Lord knew the number that would come so there was no need of hastily improvising accommodation. I thought it would help us to consider the facts which bear on this point, that we might see how the Lord had a place in mind large enough, and how readily the subjects of the work of God fitted in, so that they were quite at home there. It occurred to me that this section in Luke would serve to show that the Lord had something large before Him, and that it should be cherished.
It will be observed that the initiative was taken by the Lord in this gospel, He sends Peter and John; in the other gospels they enquire. I think Peter and John would represent vigilance and administrative provision on the one hand, and family feeling on the other. There can be no right housekeeping without these two features -- administration on the one hand which keeps things in order and brings in supplies, and the family feeling and affections on the other without which we cannot have right house conditions.
C.A.C. I suppose the administrative order would safeguard and give room for the development of the affections. You would suggest that Peter gives administration and John the family.
J.T. Yes. Order and supply go together. The part Peter had in the opening of the dispensation shows that he represents the administrative side. He stood up with the eleven, making one of the twelve, representing in what he said what he stood for: it
showed heaven was acting in administrative conditions. A wonderful time of fulness had come in, heaven opened itself, and a wonderful supply was present in the Spirit. We should look for this feature today. There must be administrative order and with that supply, but we may have that without affection. John comes in in the next chapter (Acts 3). It is not so much what he said but he was there, and his presence would ensure that love which is essential to house conditions. So in Luke 22 the Lord sent Peter and John: it was His own thought.
As a rule we have much difficulty in housing our numbers, but in Acts 2 there seemed to be no inconvenience in the fact that three thousand came in at once: there was house accommodation for all of them. These verses do not describe what marked the first day, but they describe a period after Pentecost, conditions that marked the early christians, not only that day but for a definite period. The more you look into them the more delightful they are, so easy, nothing forced; there was no confusion and no one lacked anything. All the house principles were present, there was subjection and they persevered steadily in spite of the current against them: "They persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers". We have in these features elements of the house; they involve principles that survive, that cannot be overthrown by the current against them. First they persevered in the apostles' teaching and fellowship; it was that kind of teaching, and there was subjection to the authority of Christ in those men who were acting as Christ's representatives. That is easily applicable at the present time and there can be no house conditions apart from that. One could understand how each one of these three thousand believers would have a great regard for Peter, the light had come into their souls through Peter, and they would
recognise a certain authority in what Peter said. Then there were these eleven men standing alongside of Peter, and they would make enquiries about these men, why they were standing up together. There were a hundred and twenty altogether, why were these twelve standing up? The explanation was very simple: these men were the apostles; they were not men of yesterday; they had been with Jesus, moving in and out with Him from the outset, from John's baptism till the present time. Every true believer would make enquiry as to these twelve, and then he would see that it was no longer simply a question of Moses or those who sat in Moses' seat but of these twelve men, what they say about any given thing and what they teach.
Ques. That question would arise with every soul today as to the apostles' doctrine.
J.T. Exactly. These three thousand men and women who got light on that day said, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?". Acts 2:37. They did what they were told to do. There was the principle of subjection; they began with that and persevered in it. They persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles. What wonderful things were there! So now the same thing would arise: these converts recognised the apostles, and one who is subject now is ready for what there is. Where God is working there would be respect for what represents the authority of the Lord: there is no safety outside that. Where that is disregarded disaster is the consequence, and where it is bowed to there is enlargement, room for the Spirit.
The subject of housing in spiritual things is of great interest, because it is a principle of God. We get the elements of it in these verses in Acts 2; they indicate the elements that make up the houses. These twelve men were remarkable people, those who stood up with a hundred and twenty in the background.
Then there was this influx of three thousand. Ordinarily we would say, Have we not to improvise something for them? But no, the provision was there: "There were added in that day about three thousand souls". I believe this was put down for this purpose to call attention to the fact that the provision was there and there was no inconvenience. Later on it says, "The Lord added to the assembly" and there could be no thought of inconvenience with what He added. I think the word 'large' (Luke 22) used by the Lord Himself would convey to us that He had this in mind; He had additions in mind.
C.A.C. It was a time of great things, they had heard the great things of God.
J.T. In Mark it is "my guest-chamber". Mark 14:14 The Lord had in His mind that there would be great accessions, and that there would be room for them. Here it is a "large upper room furnished".
Ques. What connection has it with "There make ready"?
J.T. I think the apostles would have in mind that the Lord intended to have things large and furnished, and then that there should be something there. I think the making ready is seen in what we get in these two chapters in Acts. The three thousand came in to a day of great things. The apostles were speaking of the great things of God, not things at a distance but things present. A wonderful thing had come in; it was there, and they were to have part in it. The testimony had come down from heaven, from the place Christ had in heaven -- the testimony of the Spirit, He sat on each of them: each had the testimony in himself of what was in heaven and what was going on in heaven. Think of being introduced into that company! Think of the influence and the power that actuated those people! Think of Peter in the exercise of his gift and all the others, yet the room was large enough for it. The thing could
be entered on in commodious quarters. They knew what they were doing, God had not left the temple system yet, but they broke bread from house to house. Where did these three thousand people meet? It says they broke bread in the house. Each of these had a house, and their houses were available so there was no inconvenience at all.
Ques. Is this breaking bread the Lord's supper?
J.T. Yes. It says, "Every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart". The ordinary meal may have been added to it but they would have the Lord's supper there in the house, in the enjoyment of family feelings and affections.
Ques. Would the prayers be in the house or the temple?
J.T. We can pray anywhere but we cannot break bread anywhere. We read of a place where they were wont to pray, but the point here is that they continued in prayer. It was a day of great things, so many were coming in at once. The disciples earlier had said, What shall we do with this number, five thousand or four thousand, shall we send them away? The Lord says, That is not the idea at all, give ye them to eat. He told them what to do, they were to be set down in order, in ranks of fifty and a hundred, so that they ate in an orderly way, and there was room for fellowship and no inconvenience. The provision was there, the bounty of heaven. In Matthew 14 the Lord looks up to heaven and gives thanks, but in chapter 15 He only gives thanks. Chapter 14 is the administration of heaven and chapter 15 is the Spirit. The two things run together, the bounty of heaven and the presence of the Spirit on earth.
In a company of fifty you could be acquainted with everybody, which you could not be with five thousand at once, so they had fellowship. The
apostles' fellowship would apply to all the companies of fifty, and to every individual in each company too.
Ques. Have you in mind a spiritual nucleus?
J.T. Yes, and there is authority there which morally represents the Lord and we can rest: there exists something invulnerable.
Ques. Are there companies of fifty today?
J.T. The nucleus is that, but Luke is more concerned with externals than the other evangelists: he gives the hour of meeting, not the evening. He provides for God's people scattered all over the world where they could know and enjoy each other.
The house in Acts 1 was the upper room; chapter 1 leads up to conditions which chapter 2 notes. Those who had seen the Lord go up return to Jerusalem and go to the upper room where were the apostles and the Lord's mother and His brethren, and there they are withdrawn from the elements and the level of ordinary influence. Peter stood up -- that is not a simple thing. People say, Any brother can stand up; one often finds that radical spirit. But it is not that at all, it is a question of the brother who is most suitable, and if we are in the light of this chapter and understand the wonderful material which the Lord has formed we shall recognise the brother who stands up. Peter stands up in the midst of the company first and then with the eleven. He stands up in chapter 1 as having moral title, not as an apostle but as one qualified to convey the mind of God for the moment, and everyone present would feel that Peter was the brother who could stand up: it was a question of formation. If we do not understand formation we shall not be in assembly activity; we must take account of divine formation and make room for it. This was a special case; the Lord had appointed twelve apostles but now there were only eleven -- the Lord had not solved the case and who was going to lead to the solution of it?
C.A.C. It was not so much authority as moral weight.
J.T. Yes, and what follows shows that Peter was the one who should stand up. He conveyed the mind of God which led to the solution of this matter. Later on Peter stands up and says, "Brethren, ye know that from the earliest days God amongst you chose that the nations by my mouth should hear the word of the glad tidings and believe". Acts 15:7. But he does not say that here, there is nothing official here, but a brother being able to bring in divine principles so that there should be a solution of the matter; he brings in Scripture to bear on it.
C.A.C. Scripture is there for us today but wisdom is needed to use right principles at the right time.
J.T. The spiritual one would discern that the Scriptures Peter read were exactly right at the time. It is important to make room for divine formation so that we might have the mind of God at any time.
C.A.C. Would that not be the oracles of God?
J.T. Yes, that is just what it was. We have the possibility of the mind of God being brought in, and who but one whom God has fitted for it could do that?
C.A.C. Would you suggest the importance of spiritual exercise that might furnish that kind of ability? We often find practically that there are difficulties and exercises locally which seem to require the voice of the divine oracle to illuminate and clear them.
J.T. Yes. In the early days the Holy Spirit set these things down for us. I think our younger brethren would do well to take note that whilst the mutual principle is present in the assembly, yet alongside of that there is divine formation without which we cannot have the assembly really. So that while I am free as a young person to take part in the assembly, yet
I am concerned lest I should interfere with one who is more experienced and developed: if I do I may shut out the oracle. Nobody said anything here but Peter, according to the record; what he said was right and they acted upon it. At the present time it is a great thing to make room for the word of God whilst maintaining the mutual feature. If I were in a meeting with Paul I would be very concerned to hear what he had to say and should not like to shut him out.
Ques. Would you speak of the whole city as a company?
J.T. The whole city is the assembly in the city: the word 'company' is not official. When we speak of an assembly in a place do we mean all? In principle going to their company meant all the saints in Jerusalem, they represented the whole company.
C.A.C. It speaks of "two of you". The "you" is the company.
J.T. Here we have three thousand added that day, and the Lord added all that should be saved: there was room for all. In the light of the whole assembly is there room for all the saints at Exeter? The question is whether we have the thing in our hearts in such a way that we could embrace them.
C.A.C. There is room and provender. Christ and the Spirit are an adequate supply.
J.T. Yes, these men were great enough for the emergency; they were not carried off their feet but were equal to it. If I have these principles in my soul, even if everybody in this city turned out I should be equal to it. It tests one as to where one is and as to what God is doing. Am I great enough to embrace the whole work of God? We do not see what God is doing except now and again one is let into what He is doing. He is working though one knows very little about it. Moses said, "Let thy work appear unto thy servants", and the next thing is, "Establish thou the work of our hands", Psalm 90:16,17.
The Lord did not have anything less in view than the full result of the testimony in the upper room, but He had in mind that there should be accommodation for all the work of God.
Luke 23:47; Acts 22:11 - 15; Luke 24:28 - 35
I have in mind to speak a little tonight about qualification for witness. God witnessed in the creation, as Scripture says, "He left not himself without witness". Acts 14:17. That witness remains, but at the same time He witnesses through man. The Lord had said to His disciples that they should witness of Him because they were with Him from the beginning. He spoke of the Spirit witnessing, saying that He should send Him forth from the Father, or from being with the Father, and that as coming He would be a witness; and then they also should witness because they had been with Him from the beginning.
I need not speak of the qualification of the Spirit to be a witness, being a divine Person, but it is noteworthy that in that connection it is said that He came forth as being with the Father. The Holy Spirit is here as sent by Christ, but sent as having been with the Father, and then the Lord adds, "Ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning", John 15:27.
You can see in that the Lord's intent, that whilst all the previous witnesses which God gave stood, there is at the present time the greatest vessel of witness. There had been, as I have said, a witness in the created universe. The invisible things of Him are clearly seen in the things that are made -- His eternal power and divinity; and then, more particularly, that which meets man's requirements on earth. "God", it says, "left not himself without witness". Acts 14:17 Not now exactly in his eternal power, for that was already there, but His goodness, sending rain from heaven and giving fruitful seasons, "filling your hearts with food and gladness", Acts 14:17.
Then again, the Lord refers to "the prophets and the law" for that is how the passage stands Matthew 11:13.
The prophets come first. The prophets and the law, the Lord says, prophesied until John. That is to say, there was a living voice from God, not as in inanimate things, but as in holy men of old, as Scripture says, who were "under the power of the Holy Spirit" 2 Peter 1:21 -- a very different kind of witness, a prophetic witness. The law itself is connected with the prophets as it prophesied the mind of God, brought in first in Moses and then in the prophets. All prophesied until John. But the Lord adds in Luke, "Since that time the kingdom of God is preached" Luke 16:16 -- a further testimony or witness. The kingdom has come as a means of deliverance and protection for man. It was already there from John's time and men were pressing into it, so that there was a living thing now, a system of power for man from John's time. It was a spiritual thing. The Lord enlarged on it and set it before men in His ministry. It was there as a witness. He said, "The kingdom of God is in the midst of you", Luke 17:21.
Then in regard to John, it is said of him that he was a man sent from God. These are things to be noted, dear brethren, if we are to understand the divine witness. A man sent from God! The prophets and the law prophesied, the prophets themselves bearing witness to the long-suffering of God -- a great feature of His witness, that He is long-suffering. And the law witnesses to His rights, that He has the right to man's affections. But the nature of the ministry was prophetic, for it anticipated the necessity of the incarnation of Christ and the death of Christ, in order that the things prophesied should be resultant for God. But nevertheless the witness was there, and then it says, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John", John 1:6.
The Holy Spirit in John's gospel particularly rests on John the baptist as a typical witness, so that it is said he was sent from God, and the force of the passage
implies that he was sent as having been with God, as the disciples of the Lord were said to have been with Him from the beginning. The idea of witness implies therefore that the witnesses are with the persons of whom they are to witness, hence John was sent from being with God. And his witness is beautiful. In John 1 there are passages which dwell on the things to which John witnessed, but in the end it says, "I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God". John 1:34 What had he seen? "He who sent me to baptise with water, he said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, he it is who baptises with the Holy Spirit". John 1:33 And, "Again, on the morrow, there stood John and two of his disciples. And, looking at Jesus as he walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of God". John 1:35,36. He had been working. He had been baptising. He had been ministering. But now he stops, for the Son of God has come before Him and he bears witness to Him. John's work is done. As he introduces the Son of God, the Son of God takes up the work. And so he says, "Behold the Lamb of God".
The Son of God is an expression conveying power. The Lamb of God is a suggestion of how precious He was in the eyes of God. And so those two who we're with John "heard him speaking", John 1:37 a beautiful tribute to the manner of his witness. They heard John speak and they followed Jesus. The Baptist's witness is effective. What God is looking for, beloved brethren, is effective testimony. We have an expression of it in John 16. The Lord says that when the Spirit of truth is come He will bring demonstration or conviction, of sin, righteousness, and judgment into the world. The thing is there. The witness is irrefutable. He brings into the world demonstration of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment. "Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged". John 16:9 - 11.
The Holy Spirit, as coming down from heaven, brought into the world an irrefutable testimony to Christ; He was accepted in heaven. The issue was between Him and the Jews. The Jews recognised God, but they rejected Christ. And the issue was in the hands of God, who has decided it by raising Christ from the dead and seating Him down in heaven. He went to the Father, and the Holy Spirit came down as a witness to the fact that He was exalted in heaven. The Jews were exposed and condemned; righteousness was on the side of Christ. The Holy Spirit brought in demonstration of righteousness, and that was, that Jesus was with the Father. Jesus has gone to be with the Father. God had taken Him.
Now, dear brethren, I wanted to enlarge on this in the way of the initial qualifications for witness, and so I selected these passages first, because the Roman centurion who was at the cross, I suppose in charge of the execution, and was responsible in a military way, when he saw what happened said, "Certainly this was a righteous man". Now it is no question of instruction or of teaching. The centurion was there on duty. He was not there as a mere idle, curious spectator. He was there as a Roman officer on duty, and Luke particularly records that the centurion bore witness to the fact that the man who had just died, who had just given up His spirit on the Cross, was a just man. How the centurion came to know that He was a just man is not recorded. I have no doubt in my mind that he arrived at it on the principle of faith. I have no doubt he arrived at it as the thief had arrived at the knowledge that the Lord was just and that He was a King. I only dwell on the fact that there was a witness, beloved brethren, in that man to His righteousness. And it is as we apprehend Him in that light that the element of
righteousness takes root in our souls. If we know, it says in John's epistle, that He is righteous we know another thing, that everyone that is born of Him practises righteousness.
I am dwelling upon this because it is so important as an element of qualification for witness. We cannot witness save as we apprehend righteousness in Christ and as we are clothed with it. "Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness". Psalm 132:9.
Now the centurion, according to Matthew and Mark, testifies that the Lord was "the Son of God". Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39. That is another subject, but it was the same centurion; he believed and witnessed on the one hand to the sonship of Christ, and on the other to the righteousness of Christ. Luke records that he witnessed to the righteousness of Christ.
I wish now to go on to Acts to show you how the apostle Paul was called out to see this "just one". What is recorded in this chapter is, as you will note, recorded in chapters 9 and 26 as well, only in each chapter it has a particular setting. The apostle Paul is here speaking to a Jewish audience, and one has always to take into account his audience. So you will find particular features in this chapter for the reason that Paul is speaking to a Jewish audience in Jerusalem. You will also find particular features in chapter 26; there Paul is speaking to King Agrippa, representing the gentile powers. And then you will find particular features in chapter 9, for there the Holy Spirit is recording the whole incident for the saints.
Ananias is alluded to as "a devout man". The Jews in Jerusalem knew what that meant. Although he was a Jew at Damascus he was a believer in Christ, and he was the first man that Paul, after he had been blind, opened his eyes upon. He opened his eyes on Ananias. He opened his eyes on a brother.
It says in verse 13, he "came unto me ... and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him". This is not mentioned for nothing. The Lord had been with Ananias earlier. He intended that Saul should have a reception that was becoming. We are enjoined in Romans to receive one another as Christ has received us to the glory of God. The Lord was concerned that this extraordinary convert of His should be rightly received, that he should be, as it were, received into the bosom and warmth of the assembly. It has a great bearing on believers afterwards if they are properly received. "Receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God", Romans 15:7. And He would teach Ananias to receive in His way. He goes beforehand to Ananias and tells him about Saul. Ananias had much to say against Saul, but the Lord had nothing to say against him, but for him. It is a very serious thing to say something against a brother when the Lord is introducing him. The Lord was introducing Saul. He had been with Saul beforehand. We have all to take account of this, dear brethren, in dealing with one another. We have to make due allowance for the Lord's previous activities. Why is the brother come at all? What is behind his movements? May not the Lord have been with him? May not the Lord have been exercising him? We have to make allowance for that, and not be too critical, yet be good door-keepers surely. But the point is, receive as the Lord receives, "as Christ also received us". Romans 15:7. If anyone be weak in the faith receive him. The point is, has he faith? It may be weak, but he has got faith. Receive him, but not to the determination of doubtful disputations. Do not put too much on him, but receive him. God has received him.
Take the thief on the cross. Suppose he were to have come down from the cross and lived again on
the earth. What questions might arise with people who knew of his previous conduct! And yet when he went up to paradise there was not a question! He was well received, I am sure; I may indeed say, with acclamation. He went up with the Lord. "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise", Luke 23:43 the Lord said.
Surely there can be no question of anyone that came in in the company of the Lord. And yet Ananias was prepared to question one who came up by the Lord's own service. He says, I have heard such and such things about this man. Did the Lord not know? You see how untrustworthy our hearts are. Ananias thought he was serving God as a good door-keeper, and yet he was missing it, assuming he knew better than the Lord. The Lord made him a good door-keeper. He says, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me ..." Acts 9:15. He had said, "Go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire ... for one called Saul ... for, behold, he prayeth". Acts 9:11. The name of the street was encouraging, and then Saul was praying. Such is the Lord's commendation of His convert. The word 'Straight' is not mentioned for nothing. Ananias goes. You see how firm his steps are now. The Lord says, You go; he is an elect vessel to me to bear my name before kings and the children of Israel.
Ananias says, "Brother Saul, receive thy sight"; Paul adds, "The same hour I looked up upon him". What a fine sight was Ananias now! It is one of the touches of this book. Peter says to the lame man, "Look on us". Acts 3:5. These men were the product of the work of Christ.
We all need to be touched by the Lord. As of old the high priest had to use snuffers with the candlestick or the light would grow dim, so the Lord had been using the snuffers on Ananias, and as he went to Saul his reception of him would be a reflection of Christ's service. He received Saul as Christ received
him. That is the principle that underlies our position. It is the principle that underlies the assembly's position. It should be a reflection of Christ in heaven in all that it does. The Lord is constantly serving us so that we should reflect Him in what we do.
Ananias says, "Brother Saul, receive thy sight", and Paul tells us, "The same hour I looked up upon him". Then Ananias said, "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One". See the Just One! I wonder if we have all seen Him? It is right surely to emphasise that He is Son of God, that He is the Christ, that He is the Mediator, but it is also right to emphasise the fact that He is the Just One; not simply a just one, but as the Just One He is without an equal. He is the Just One. Have you seen Him? A sight of Christ as the Just One is an element in the soul which ever afterwards characterises a witness, and we cannot witness save as seeing the Just One and taking on the character of righteousness from Him. "That thou shouldest ... see that Just One", he says, "and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth".
There is the voice of the Son of God which the dead hear. But it is the voice of the mouth of the Just One! Think of what it is, beloved, for God to have the Just One here, as you consider the course of this world! You see how quickly in the history of the race the idea of righteousness became emphasised. Abel offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain. His testimony had been in righteousness, and he suffered martyrdom for it. "Wherefore slew he him?". Because his (Abel's) works were righteous 1 John 3:12. God attaches immense importance to practical righteousness in His people.
So it was with Noah: "Thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation". Genesis 7:1 What a testimony to a man when the earth was corrupt! In that righteous man God begins another world. You see what
importance God attaches to righteousness, so that Noah was perfect in his generations. He was a just man, perfect in his generations, and he walked with God. God began another world in him. But there is more to be said about Noah than that. It is said, "By faith Noah ... prepared an ark to the saving of his house", and in that he "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith", Hebrews 11:7. He inherited righteousness. The practice of righteousness puts us in the line as heirs. It is as if I acquire a fortune by my own industry and then inherit another. That is what came to Noah. He became heir. And so there is an allusion in the New Testament to his preaching. He was an heir of righteousness, and he was a preacher of righteousness. Excellent tributes to Noah!
Further it is said that we are not to suffer for sin, or as evil-doers. It is most humiliating if a believer in Christ comes within the range of the world's prosecution for evil-doing. We are not to suffer for evil-doing, "for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust"; it was "that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit". And then it says, "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing". 1 Peter 3:18 - 20. You see what a position Noah acquired in righteousness! For it is no less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself who went and preached in the days of Noah, through the lips of Noah, to those disobedient ones. What an honoured service it was! He was righteous, and God found him righteous.
Paul saw the Just One, and as seeing Him, he was His witness unto all men of what he had seen and heard. Christ had preached through Noah to those who were disobedient in Noah's time; and He had
preached through Paul to those of our own dispensation. Paul and Noah are thus linked up together in the preaching, and both, we may say, on the ground of righteousness. So you see, beloved brethren, what a place righteousness must have with us if we are to bear witness according to God.
In finishing I would refer just briefly to the passage in Luke 24 because it brings out a feature of witness that links itself up peculiarly with our own times, the breaking of bread. These two people, the name of one of whom was Cleopas, were going to Emmaus, and in speaking of this incident I cannot refrain from alluding to the peculiar influence of country life on christians. If we discern the inimical nature of our environment to our growth and testimony we have an advantage because we fight against it. Now country life has a peculiarly deadening effect upon spiritual growth. You will pardon me for the simple reference. City life has its own danger. In this gospel the demoniac came "out of the city", Luke 8:27 according to chapter 8, wearing "no clothes". The influence of the city is to produce shamelessness in men and women, and as we see that we fight against it, for to be preserved we have to see the dangers of our respective environments and judge them and war against them.
Mark tells us, and I have no doubt they are the same persons, that two of them went into the country -- a very indefinite thought because going into the country may mean any direction. The point is, they were going into the country, and the Lord graciously appeared to them as they went there. And what is to be noted further is that Mark says that He appeared to them "in another form", Mark 16:12. I apprehend He appeared to them in a peculiar form so as to turn them away from that course. I have no doubt that what the Lord would bring in to preserve as an antidote to the influence of the country is the
heavenly city, for man needs a city. Whilst it is true there was nothing said about a city to Adam it comes in in connection with Abraham, "the father of all them that believe"; Romans 4:11 he looked for one. The idea had already come into the world, and God brought in the light of His city as a testimony so that those who had faith looked for it; "a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God". Hebrews 11:10. There is also the heavenly country which they who had faith sought after. I think these are the two things God would bring in, dear brethren, as an antidote to save us from the influence of the country as known in this world. There is God's city and God's country; we want to be in the light of both. I have no doubt that was involved in the way the Lord appeared to them as they went into the country so that He might save them. And what you find is that they returned and bore witness of the resurrection of Christ (Mark 16). They became witnesses, for the manifestation of Christ has in view that they should bear witness.
Luke tells us that they went, not into the country, but to Emmaus, a small town or village. The Holy Spirit through Luke says the distance was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. I take that to be compassion; as the Lord said to Saul, "It is hard for thee", Acts 26:14 so it was a long way for these two people, and the Lord had compassion on them. So it is ever with the Lord. He will go any distance with a view to your recovery. Patience in divine Persons is one of the most touching testimonies in Scripture -- the long-suffering of God.
And so the Lord went on with them and "made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us ...". He was giving them an opportunity. He knew what was in their hearts well, and that is another beautiful touch in Scripture. He knows what is in our hearts.
He knows also what may be covering up what may be of Himself there, and hindering its development. He knew what was in their hearts and He gave them an opportunity to show what was there. They constrained Him to come in, and in going in He takes the house-father's, place in that house. He gives thanks for the bread, and as He gives thanks and breaks the bread, He vanishes out of their sight, and their eyes were opened and they knew Him. They then go back to Jerusalem the same hour and find the eleven and those who were with them, and they were speaking about the Lord.
The assembly at Jerusalem was not now in an unbelieving state. As Mark puts it they were in an unbelieving state, but in Luke they were saying, "The Lord is risen indeed". They were not saying the Lord is not risen. They were not disbelieving any more. That was the theme of their conversation, and those two told them what they had experienced. Nothing is more effective in the assembly than experience with the Lord. A little bit of experience with the Lord is most effective. What I have experienced you cannot take away from me. These two had experienced something with Him; they related how the Lord had been made known to them in the breaking of bread.
Dear brethren, this is a feature of the idea of witness which links itself up with us at this peculiar time. It is the way the Lord is made known now. It is no longer in "another form". Mark 16:12. It is Himself. It was Himself who broke the bread, having given thanks. That is a suggestion of what we have in the assembly, and what every one should understand, and, as understanding, should witness to. They witnessed to it. The eleven apostles were there, and these two are able to contribute to that august company. What can they contribute? Not an oration, but simply an experience. The Lord had appeared to
them; He was made known to them in the breaking of bread. They could tell that. Mark says He appeared to Mary Magdalene out of whom He cast seven demons. Luke records that He appeared to Simon; this was grace, for Simon had grievously failed by denying Him. See how wonderfully gracious the Lord is. He appears to the most failing of us. But the appearing is to make witnesses of us.
May the Lord help us in our witness! The object of our being here is to be witnesses, witnesses to Christ.
Acts 22:16; Genesis 4:26; Genesis 12:7,8; Genesis 21:33; Genesis 26:23 - 25
I have before me to dwell on a great feature which marked the early christians from Pentecost, namely, that of calling upon the name of the Lord.
The formula is derived somewhat from the book of the prophet Joel, quoted by the apostle Peter on the occasion of his great address at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. That address, as you will recollect, was initial, but conveyed one great feature of this dispensation, namely, that of administration from heaven. The Holy Spirit had just come. He had come to those who obeyed Christ. According to what is said later by Peter, the Holy Spirit is given to all those who obey Christ. Let no one assume to have Him save as he obeys Christ. And so the apostle Peter, in his address, cites the prophet Joel, as announcing beforehand the gift of the Spirit, including that remarkable word: "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved", Acts 2:21.
I want to show from the passage in Acts 22 how full of the thought the early christians were. Ananias says to Saul, who had just heard the Lord from heaven, and seen Him, "Why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord". The Lord had an interview with him in regard to Saul, for He is ever concerned about His converts and would have them rightly received in the assembly. Saul was the theme of that interview. Evidently it was not the first time that Ananias had had to do directly with Christ. He spoke to Him very familiarly, and he told the Lord, in answer to His remarks, that this man Saul had been persecuting those that called upon His name. He said he had heard from many about him. What he had heard about Saul was true, alas! He
was set against Christ and against those who called on His name. It is said that those who heard Saul in Damascus were amazed, saying that he had destroyed in Jerusalem those who had called upon the name of Christ. He would blot out that name by destroying those who called upon it. That was the intent of the wicked one and his emissaries, for they said in spirit beforehand, "When shall he die, and his name perish?", Psalm 41:5. That was what they thought. There was such antagonism to that name that the desire of the enemies of the Lord was, "When shall he die, and his name perish?"
Well, he died, beloved friends, but His name did not perish. In resurrection His name shines out in infinite lustre. To those who love Him it is as ointment poured forth; the assembly in Philadelphia was marked by not denying that name. May it be so with us, beloved brethren, that we shall never deny in word or deed or in attitude that holy name, that name which is above every name and to which every knee shall bow!
Saul was set against this name, and so it is said that he destroyed in Jerusalem all those that called upon it, and that he had come to Damascus with the same intent. He intended to wipe out every trace of that name in Damascus. He was so mad against it! He set out from Jerusalem "breathing out", as we are told, "threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord". Acts 9:1. But he did not as yet know the power of that One whose name was revered in those whom he was destroying. They were the disciples of the Lord. The Lord waited until he had reached the neighbourhood of Damascus before He caused him to know his power. And as the Lord's voice is heard in that man's soul he says, "What shall I do, Lord?". Acts 22:10. And Ananias addressed him saying, "Why tarriest thou? arise ... and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord".
Need I say that he did it, beloved friends? Need I say that that name ever marked the great apostle afterward? He says to the Romans, "The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him". Romans 10:12. He is rich. As He was rich in the East He would be rich in the West. Oh, how we have proved it! He is rich towards all those that call upon Him; and then the apostle adds from the prophet Joel, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved". Acts 2:21.
That is what marked the early christians. They called upon the name of the Lord. They renounced allegiance to man. They renounced reliance upon man. They recognised that the Lord Jesus had all power in heaven and upon earth, and they called upon that name. And in calling upon that name they found deliverance. That marked the early christians, and so it marked Philadelphia, the last but one of "the seven churches" Revelation 1:20; the Lord's word is, "Thou ... hast not denied my name". Revelation 3:8 That meant, beloved friends, that they refused other names. It had become the vogue in Philadelphian days to call on other names. Alas! Christians are divided up into many branches, each with its own name. Philadelphia repudiates every name but the name of Jesus. For the Philadelphian the name of Jesus is as ointment poured forth. It is precious. One may enquire whether it is precious to everyone here, or whether we bear other names to our own shame and to His dishonour?
Now I want to show from the Old Testament how this truth is amplified in detail. I want to show you, beloved friends, how the Name is called upon; how it comes about that men call upon the name of the Lord. Light springs up. Light arises in the darkness. That is a great principle with God. When things seem to be darkest light springs up. And so it was in the days of Seth. The world had become dark. Cain had gone out from the presence
of the Lord, and no one can go out from the presence of the Lord and be active save to darken others. It is as sure as anything if anyone retrogrades; if anyone turns away from the truth he is sure to darken others. He is dark himself, and he darkens others. It says in John's epistle, "Many false prophets are gone out into the world". 1 John 4:1. They went out from the assembly and the light that was in them became darkness. You may talk of things you had learnt earlier, but as out of communion with God the things you are saying are darkness. The light that is in you becomes darkness. It is a very serious matter to turn away. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, it says, and he built a city and called it after the name of his son; he darkened his posterity.
Now light arises. How? By one Man accepting the judgment of God. There is no possibility of recovery except through the acceptance of divine judgment. If men have turned away from the Lord they have turned away sinfully and have disregarded the rights of God, which Cain did. God dealt in wonderful grace with Cain. God put a mark on him, even in his murderous course, so that no one should slay him. But that did not prevent Cain from darkening the world. But in the darkness light arises, I would say that for the encouragement of anyone here who may have turned away, but who may have been exercised. It is in the darkest moment of your exercise that light arises for you. And I will tell you how it arises: By your acknowledging the judgment of God. You have allowed what the judgment of God is upon and it is in the acknowledgment of that that you get light.
Seth has a son born to him, and he calls his name Enosh. Cain had a son born to him and he built a city and called it after the name of his son. There was no recognition in Cain of the judgment of God
upon his son and upon himself, and hence the darkness. But with Seth there is recognition of the judgment of God. And what is that, you say? Enosh. The word signifies a weak, mortal creature. "Thou shalt surely die", Genesis 2:15 God said. Seth recognises that word spoken to his father, and he says his babe is born to him, but as born after the flesh it is born to die. That was an acknowledgment of the judgment of God, and in that acknowledgment light sprung up, not only for Seth, but for men. For you may depend that when light springs up with you it will spring up in you for others. One would think oneself extremely poor if one's testimony did not enlighten others. If God enlightens one it is that he should enlighten others. And so the apostle says to the Ephesians, "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord". Ephesians 5:8. In the recognition of the Lord the believer's light arises. His eye is single, and his whole body is luminous, hence his neighbours get the benefit of the light. It is a poor thing if his neighbour is not illuminated by a believer. The Lord dwelt in Capernaum, we are told, and in the place where men stood in darkness and in the shadow of death light sprang up. So it was in Seth's day; light sprang up. "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord". It is not a question of preaching simply. It is in the acknowledgment of the rights and judgment of God that light springs up, and men begin to call on the name of the Lord. Whatever a christian may be, however humble his circumstances, as he accepts the judgment of God and walks in that light he becomes light to others. He is a light in the world. You cannot be a light otherwise. It is as you are in the recognition of the Lord in heaven that the Holy Spirit in you makes you a luminous body, like a star. "They that turn many to righteousness" shall shine "as the stars for ever and ever", Daniel 12:3. Light began from God.
Now I want to show you how, in the case of Abraham, you have this great subject amplified. And I want to show you from Abraham and Isaac how that the recognition of the Lord, calling upon the name of the Lord, is accompanied by spiritual dignity and support in one's environment. It is a poor thing for us, beloved brethren, if we are on the level of our fellow men around us. One great principle of christianity is elevation. That is to say, spiritual elevation and dignity and corresponding power in our environment, whatever it may be. You have in Abraham's case an appearing. The Lord appeared to him. That is another thing that belongs to christianity -- divine appearings. As Abraham goes into the land of Canaan the Lord appeared to him. Indeed, he is the first man, as far as Scripture goes, to whom the Lord is said to have appeared. You will not think that is in any way a strange statement, because, although the Lord spoke to Adam, Cain, and Noah, it is not said that He appeared to them. It is said that He appeared to Abraham when he dwelt in Mesopotamia, and then again, as he came to the land of Canaan Jehovah appeared to him. Now an appearance of the Lord means that He is known to you in a new way. Abraham built an altar to Jehovah who had appeared to him. That is to say, he was fully equal to the increased light. It is a great matter to keep abreast of the light, for God is moving on. He is ever moving, and your altar should not be lower than the present light. That is what you find in the patriarchs' continual building of altars. They were keeping abreast of the light. Abraham built an altar to Jehovah who had appeared to him, and then it says, "He ... called upon the name of Jehovah".
Now we have not only men calling on the name of the Lord but one man building an altar and calling on the name of the Lord -- keeping abreast of the light that had been vouchsafed to him -- a divine
appearing. I do not know how many of us have had that experience, a divine appearing. It belongs to christianity, beloved brethren. Let us not restrict it to the early days; it belongs to christianity. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him", John 14:21.
I want to show you how that in chapter 21 Abraham proceeding on these lines acquired great power. If I am not acquiring spiritual power and a corresponding dignity in my environment then I should look and see what is the matter. There is something wrong. Abraham had acquired power as he proceeded on these lines, and in the passage immediately preceding that which I read it is said that Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, and Phichol the chief captain of his army came to Abraham. The Philistines are people who are great according to flesh. Had not Abraham acquired spiritual power and dignity they would have despised him. They would never have visited him. The Lord promises the Philadelphian believers that He would make those who say they are Jews by profession, but are not, "to come and worship before thy feet". Revelation 3:9. Mark that! They have to come to the saints. It does not say My feet. "I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee", Revelation 3:9.
Is not that a wonderful promise? Abimelech and the captain of his host came to Abraham. Who was Abraham? He was a foreigner in their midst. What right had he there? Jehovah did not tell Abimelech He had brought Abraham into the land of Canaan. It was Abraham's light. Ephesian light is our light. We do not make it common. God had told him He would give him the land. He was heir to it. But what had brought the king of the Philistines to
Abraham? It was because Abraham had acquired power. How? By separation, calling on the name of Jehovah. Jehovah made him great. You may depend upon it, the presence of the Lord with you will make you great, great morally, and the greatness will be seen in your meekness and lowliness. You will not be self-assertive, Abraham was not. As it was with the patriarch so it is with the believer now; as calling upon the name of the Lord we acquire moral dignity.
The Philistine king comes -- not with his prime minister, but with the captain of his host. That is to say, he came to Abraham in full power, but he was not equal to Abraham morally. So in the presence of spiritual persons, modern giants of education and intellect have to admit they are inferior. They have to muster all the power they have got to compete with men of God. And so did Abimelech. He came to Abraham with the captain of his host. That is to say, he would say to Abraham, I am great too. That is what he meant. He meant that he acknowledged the greatness of Abraham. What made Abraham great? Not a great army, but the presence of the Lord upon whom he called. That made him great and nothing else will make us great but the presence of the Lord. Moses said to Jehovah that the people could only be distinguished from other peoples by His presence with them (Exodus 33:16). What comes out in our chapter? Abraham reproves Abimelech. As later Jacob blesses a great potentate of the world, so Abraham had moral power to reprove the king of the Philistines. Then Abraham gave him gifts. He gave him sheep and oxen. He was wealthy. It is the divine intent, beloved brethren, that we should be a benefit to the world; as we are separate we are able to benefit men, not only with material things but with spiritual things.
Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs. I want you to take particular notice of this as it marks the difference between Abraham and Abimelech. Abraham had flocks and particularly these ewe lambs. Ewe lambs do not denote power after the flesh. They denote subjection. They denote fruitfulness. The lamb of a sheep is always a type of passiveness, of readiness to suffer. The Lord himself "is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth". Isaiah 53:7. But in that very way He was victorious, as we sometimes sing,
That expresses the truth of these seven ewe lambs. They were set apart. Abimelech said, What about these? They were not according to Abimelech's mind or that of his captain. The latter represented power according to flesh -- an army or a navy. In the mind of man these are power, but not so in the mind of faith. Seven ewe lambs, unaggressive, unpretentious, meek, subject, convey the latter. Abimelech says, What are these? Abraham says, These are for you. Now look, christians, Are you able to show that spirit to a neighbour? Not the spirit of aggressiveness, not contention. These are for you, says Abraham. What a witness! He says, "That they may be a witness to me that I have dug this well". Genesis 21:30 In other words, I have got the Holy Spirit on these lines, not on the lines of human aggressiveness. I am not pretentious. These are the witnesses that I dug this well. A well is essential to a man of faith. It refers to the Spirit; All this took place at Beersheba. It is in that connection that the well appears, 'The well of the oath'; for there was a covenant and in
that covenant Abraham had asserted a great principle, and that was, that victory for faith is on the principle of seven ewe lambs and not on the principle of human power -- an army and navy, or money or family. It is simply the spirit of Christ -- subjection, acceptance of suffering: being led as a lamb to the slaughter He opened not His mouth. And withal fruitfulness, for here ewe lambs denote subjectively the power for fruitfulness for God. And it is thus beloved, that there is increase, for as Saul was silenced we are told that the assemblies had rest and, walking in the fear of the Lord, were edified, and through the comfort of the Holy Spirit they were increased. Acts 9:31 Saul had "killed the just", James 5:6 and he did not resist him; however much he would wipe out the name of Christ that name increased on the principle of the seven ewe lambs.
Now I come to Isaac just in closing. In his case there is a similar situation because as the testimony goes on we replace our forefathers. We come into the position of those who have gone before. The testimony is one thing. If it be lengthened out it means our children come into our position and their children into theirs. But it is never mere repetition. Isaac had been digging wells. He had been asserting his rights to Abraham's wells: and the Philistines contested every well that he dug. Finally he digs one well, and they do not contend for it. He calls it Rehoboth (room) and he goes to Beersheba. That is to say, in the face of opposition you prove the faithfulness of God (a great feature of the testimony); God made room for Isaac. What God has been to our forefathers, through whom the truth has come to us, He will be to us; He is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever", Hebrews 13:8.
Isaac goes to Beersheba, having dug the well, and he builds an altar there and calls upon the name of Jehovah. There Abraham had called on the name of
Jehovah, "the eternal God". Genesis 21:33. What a word that is, dear brethren! It is as if Abraham said, 'God is going to continue. What He has been He will be. He is not going to finish His testimony with me'. "From eternity to eternity thou art God", Psalm 90:2. Moses, who wrote this psalm, knew Abraham's God. The eternal God is proceeding with His testimony and it is taken up by Isaac. What He has been in the past He is today. He has taken us up sovereignly and He has privileged us to be in the testimony. How are we to be in it? We should take advantage of the light given to our predecessors. But God is dealing in a fresh way and so you find with Isaac God takes particular care that he does not go to Egypt, like Abraham. He says, "Go not down into Egypt ... sojourn in this land". Genesis 26:2,3
Isaac stays there and he becomes wonderfully powerful, even more so than Abraham. Is not that encouraging? The Philistine king comes to him with his military leader and one of his friends as well. That was as if he said to Isaac, 'I recognise you are great, you are a mighty prince amongst us, but I am great too. I have got an army and navy, and I have got friends'. Such is the world. Let them have their friends. The world will love its own, you may be sure of that. There are associations around, religious and social. Abimelech brings his friend and military captain to make as good a show as he can with Isaac. Isaac says, "Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me ... ?" Genesis 26:27 With such people, in the profession of friendship there is hatred. The Lord says, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you", John 15:18. That is the situation, beloved brethren. The world hates us as being loyal to Christ.
But Isaac is superior to the Philistines. He builds an altar at Beer-sheba and he calls on the name of Jehovah. At Beer-sheba he is in the full light of the faithfulness of God. He built his altar calling upon
the name of Jehovah, and it says that under these circumstances his servants came to him and said, "We have found water". Genesis 26:32. There is a new spring in that position. You see how we are to be supported now. God has wonderfully enlightened us in our days, but we must be supported or the light will grow dim. How is it supported? Isaac has his altar and is calling on the name of the Lord. But the servants find water. The water is to support him in freshness and vigour in this new position.
Need we fear that God will supply the water? It means the acquisition of spiritual power. As we humbly judge ourselves in the presence of such light we shall have the continual service of the Spirit.
We find in chapter 21 that Beer-sheba is a place; in chapter 26 it is a city. That is to say, it is a greater idea. We have with Isaac therefore an advance on Abraham, and so there should be an advance with us on those who have gone before us.
May God grant it to us that we may be found in our environments, however humble, or however conspicuous, superior to them, as calling on the name of the Lord and as realising the power of the Holy Spirit!
John 1:6 - 9; Luke 11:34 - 36; 2 Corinthians 4:6,7; Philippians 2:14 - 16
My exercise is to speak about light on this occasion. It is a very extensive subject, I need not say, but I desire to present it in connection with one or two features bearing on christians.
It will be remembered that Scripture says God is light, and that He dwells in light. The latter passage alludes to His infinite, eternal existence; for it is written that He dwells "in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor is able to see". 1 Timothy 6:16. But when it is said that God is light, we have a reference to revelation -- that He has come out. It was said in the Old Testament that He dwelt in thick darkness. 2 Chronicles 6:1 That, of course, is not His eternal existence, to which I have already referred. It is a reference to the dispensation in which He dwelt beneath curtains; for although the candlestick was in the holy place there was no light within the veil -- no material light. So that the expression that He dwelt in thick darkness is relative, referring to the Old Testament times; and the statement that God is light, and that He is in the light, has reference to the present time. And it is with this, beloved friends, that we have to do immediately, for we are enjoined to walk in the light as God is in the light.
Now in Genesis 1, as you will all remember, God said, "Let there be light", and it says, "There was light". Genesis 1:3 Of course, the allusion is to physical light, but it may be taken up as a type of what we have at the present time, namely, that God is working in the light. All the work in Genesis 1 follows upon the command or word that there should be light and that there was light, and that that light obtained a definite name, 'Day', pointing to the period
of the twelve hours in which work was done. As the Lord Jesus says, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?": John 11:9. "I must work ... while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work". John 9:4.
Now, having said so much, I want to come to chapter 1 of John's gospel, and what I have in mind, beloved friends, is very practical, namely that we should see that the light that shines in our day is universal. I want to show by the Lord's help that we are to be brought into accord with it, that we should be universal in our outlook and in our affections, for one's outlook is one thing, but how much of it you can include in sympathetic interest is another. And the more we know of God, the more we shall include in sympathetic interest what He is interested in. So that you have John the baptist introduced, first as a witness, that all men should believe. The bearing of John's witness was that all men should believe, which is an important thing to notice. And then it says, lest anyone should be misled as to John's great ministry, "He was not that light". Now I want to dwell on that. Indeed it was what was in my mind particularly, for so many of the people of God are misled. You may say, John the baptist would not mislead anybody! Surely not! Of all the witnesses of Christ he is the truest. I mean that up to his time there was not a greater, and the apostle John seems to make him a model for us. In this chapter you will find how faithfully, and, I may say, affectionately John the baptist pointed away from himself to Christ. And not only that but his testimony had such an effect upon his followers that they turned away from him and followed Jesus. And yet with all that, one may be misled by even such a witness; that is to say, by assuming that he was the light; that he represented what was shining. Now I believe there is a warning set down here in these words, "he was not that light".
The Lord himself said John was a burning and a shining light, but he was not the light.
And so the Holy Spirit calls attention to this lest anyone should be diverted even by such a great and true witness of Christ, for believers have been misled, beloved friends, by persons who were themselves true. And so we have in christendom so many denominations, each assuming to have the light. One says, "I am of Paul". 1 Corinthians 1:12 Was Paul misleading anyone when he called attention to that? Not at all. The person who spoke thus was being misled through partisan preference. And so Paul says immediately, "Was Paul crucified for you?". 1 Corinthians 1:13 if not, how then could he represent fully the light of God? And so John the baptist was not the light. There have been great preachers and great ministers. Take Luther, for instance, a great servant of God; as we may say, one in whom light arose out of the darkness. Out of medieval darkness and superstition and idolatry the light arose in an obscure man, and men became followers of that servant of God, and have continued to be up to the present time. What is the secret of that? They have misapprehended the person. They have lost sight of this great statement in the first chapter of John, that no servant, however true, can be the light. And so with many others whom I might mention, but it is needless. The word is "That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world". That is the true light. And, beloved brethren, we want to get that definitely and clearly into our souls, that the light in which we are is a light that shines universally, and it will never lead us to localism, nationalism, or metropolitanism. It will maintain us in thoughts in relation to God. It will maintain us in broadness of outlook and sympathy with God. And so you look up into the face of Jesus in which shines the light of God. That light shines in Asia, in Australia
in Africa, in Europe and in America and in the islands of the sea. It is the same light, beloved friends. If it is shining into your hearts here in this island it is shining into other hearts in other islands thousands of miles away. It is the same light, and the effect of it is to make us universal in our outlook and in our affections, to make us like the Colossian believers, and the Ephesian believers, who had love for all saints.
One often thinks of the sun as one looks up into it. Adam looked at the same sun that I look at, and so did Enoch. It brings the idea near to you, that it is the one sun that has illumined this earth all these centuries, and so it is the one Christ that illumines the race. He sheds His light, it says, on every man. Now that does not mean that every man is enlightened, for the shining of the sun on men does not in itself prove that they are enlightened, for a blind man does not see it. And so I want to dwell for a moment on the passage in Luke so that we may see in passing how this glorious light that shines -- and as the apostle John emphasises here, shines universally -- how it comes into a man or woman or a child. I have no doubt that most of you here have received that light. What is to be noted is that shining upon is not shining in. Shining in involves an eye. And so the Lord says, "The lamp of the body is thine eye". Luke 11:34 The eye takes in the light. The light that is shining for everyone who comes into the world is, alas! only shining into a few. I have no doubt, as I said, that most of you here have the light in you. If there be one who has not I would call attention to this passage, "When thine eye is simple". The effect of the world in its present education, beloved friends, is to sophisticate men and women and children. The whole drift of education at the present time is to shut God out, and men no longer retain or acquire a simple eye. They are occupied
in the pride of their hearts with the assumption that they know more than their predecessors. It is a time of investigation and wonderful discoveries, as they say, and men's eyes are no longer simple. The Bible is no longer read as the Bible. The God of a few years back, is not the God of the present time. The idea of God is being eliminated through modern teaching, and men who were at one time simple are no longer so. Children were brought up to read the Bible as the Bible. Not so now. God would call us back to simplicity. We read of simplicity as to the Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). The apostle said that as the serpent beguiled Eve he feared that the saints at Corinth should be misled from simplicity as to the Christ. We need to be called back, beloved friends, to simplicity. The Bible is couched in language and figures that are simple. They relate to the phenomena around man, the environment in which he is situated, and they are presented to him in the simplest form, and in order to take in the light we have all to return to simplicity. So that it says, "When thine eye is simple, thy whole body also is light".
Now having come to the idea of the body one dwells upon it for a moment, because it is that which every believer has. Whatever you may not have in the way of gift, in the way of ability, you certainly have a body, and that body is the Lord's. Now what are you doing with it? How are you holding it? It is that, I may say, for which you are immediately responsible. Without it you can be of no value in the testimony. As one falls asleep through Jesus he ceases to be in the testimony for the moment. The body is the vehicle in which the testimony is presented. And so it is as I am in it that I am of value to God in the testimony, and hence the great importance of holding one's body for the Lord so that it should be luminous. If the eye is not simple the
body is dark, and the very light that you have had is darkness. A very solemn thing! But if the eye is simple, having no part dark, the whole body, beloved friends, is luminous. Think of the value of that! What one may be in one's everyday life! One's words, one's movements, one's work and ways, all are light. Light is emanating from the body; the whole body is light. You see thus what the body is. And so the apostle says to the Thessalonians, that everyone "should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour". 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Now you see, you have got to do that, and I have to do that. I have got to possess the thing. It is not my own; I am a tenant of it. It belongs to God. It is under my command for the moment and I am to possess it in sanctification and in honour.
Now I go further, referring to the passage in 2 Corinthians, where you have Genesis 1 alluded to, and applying directly to the believer and his body. God commanded! It says, "It is the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts". Think of the greatness of that! In Genesis 1 God spoke that light should come, and it came, and He gave it a name. Now you see that great thought, affecting the universe, is brought down to the believer. The God who spoke that light should shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts. I would that you would look at this, to see the magnitude of our position in regard to our bodies. The God who spoke that light should shine, has shined in our hearts -- that light was Himself. It is not the mere word, God shines in Himself. He shines in our hearts; for the shining forth -- now the apostle is coming to what is definite -- not light in general; but for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Now look at the magnitude of this, beloved friends. I want you to see the value of it to you as in your
body; that it is not simply light in a general way, as I have said, but the knowledge in us of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Now we are dealing with God Himself in His nature. He has found an outlet for His nature to shine in the death of Jesus, and in the Person of Jesus exalted to heaven, as One who makes that light, that love, that divine nature, effective in our hearts. That is the present ministry of Christ. At the present moment He who is said to be the Lord of glory is operating to bring in the love of God, the holy nature of God, and make it effective in our hearts in these bodies. In the first epistle we have "the Lord of glory" 1 Corinthians 2:8, but in the second epistle it is "the glory of the Lord". 2 Corinthians 3:18 What is the glory of the Lord? The glory of the Lord is what He delights in, what is in entire accord with His heart, and that is, to bring in the love of God, to bring in the holy nature of God, and make it effective in our hearts. That is what He is doing. It is a wonderful ministry; it is going on day and night, and I do beg of you to just dwell upon it, the magnitude of it; He who spake that light should arise out of darkness has shined in our hearts, and what for? "For the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ".
In the third chapter we have the glory of the Lord. That is His ministry. It is not the glory of Christ, nor the glory of Jesus; it is the glory of the Lord. According to the third chapter, what is the Lord doing? Bringing in the love of God and making it effective in our hearts. And then in the next chapter it is the radiancy of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The god of this world is blinding those who believe not, lest the radiancy of the glory of Christ should shine for them. You see how the enemy is studying for all this, and I do beg of you to look into it and see to it that he is not blinding your eyes, but that the light is shining into your heart,
and is shining in that it may be shining out. It is light in a specific way. It is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, for the believer is now regarded as having the knowledge of it. One of the greatest things for us is to get the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus.
Now I want to show you from the next verse that the body is fragile. "We have this treasure", it says, "in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us". This may be a point you have not noticed. The fragility of the vessel leads to dependence on God. God might have sent down angels to shine for Christ here and maintain the testimony, but his thought is to take up fragile vessels, men and women, that live a few years. Young people starting out forget these things, and I speak to them for a moment. As you begin the path of faith you contemplate the maximum of human life. It is quite right. A young man or a young woman is encouraged to do so; as honouring father and mother is the first commandment with promise. What was that promise? "That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth", Ephesians 6:3. Of course, the thought is not that you should live long on the earth for the satisfaction of the flesh; it is surely to shine for God in this world. But then, there is the sovereignty of God that must always be kept in view. The faithfulness of God would say, You obey your parents in the Lord and you are assured that your days shall be long in the earth. But then there is the sovereignty of God, and it may require that my days are just to be so many. Indeed, there are no accidents with God. One could not admit for a moment, beloved, of an accident with God. God is sovereign and everything fits in accurately with His purposes, and so I am kept. Whilst I rely on His faithfulness, in recognising His sovereignty and His sure government, I am kept
moment by moment in dependence on God -- that this vessel may not be broken. Looked upon from the physical standpoint, what are we? Grasshoppers. According to Isaiah, all the inhabitants of the earth are grasshoppers in the sight of God. Isaiah 40:22 You see how easily the vessel may be broken! What I aim at, beloved, is to encourage in you piety, the fear of God. How long I will have this vessel I cannot tell; I look to God day by day to preserve me. I am kept in daily dependence upon God, and the more value you are to God here the more your concern should be, that you are in daily dependence upon God. That, I believe, is one great feature of an earthen vessel. I look to God that it may be preserved for His will, and I possess it in sanctification and honour. I am kept out of the way of possible danger, but my physical sustenance and preservation in this world depend on God, and that leads to piety. I believe there is a great lack of piety, of bringing God into every circumstance of our life, and particularly as regards the body. Your body is valuable; it belongs to the Lord. The Holy Spirit is in it. This wonderful treasure which we have in these earthen vessels includes the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. The body is thus of great value, and so you look to God day by day and moment by moment that it should be preserved. As the Lord Himself says, "Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust". Psalm 16:1 Wonderful language from the Lord Jesus!
Now in the scripture from Philippians I want to show you how all this exercise leads into the knowledge of our relationship with God, seen as children. Not now in the way of privilege, although of course, that is always present, but that we should appear as lights. This is an astronomical expression. Many of us naturally want to "appear" otherwise. The natural man has before him to appear in this world. It may
be he is a well-educated man; or a man of means. Each one has his own sphere in which he would like to appear.
But what about the believers, those who are the children of God? What I have been speaking of involves development of the truth, that as God is light His children should shine as lights. Ephesians contemplates that I become a child of light; we are the children of light. I suppose Ephesians gives us the completest view of the subject, as it does of every subject it treats of. But Philippians is the counterpart of Ephesians, children of God, as lights. Is that your thought of it? As you go out tomorrow and walk down the street, you meet people that know you. What is the thought? That they will recognise you in your natural or acquired dignity? No. You want to appear in the street as one of the children of God, as a light. You are not dressed according to the latest fashion to appear as one of the children of God. The world is in darkness and you want to appear as a star in the night. It is delightful to look out on the stars in the darkness of night and see how gloriously they appear. They go round majestically and they appear as lights. The mariner sees them; he knows them. They appear as lights.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is about to appear. How shall He appear? I cannot go into that tonight, but it is a wonderful subject, how He appears. As He appears He will blot out that great darkening object, the antichrist. That is what He will do as He appears. He will be destroyed at the appearing of Christ and be consumed with the spirit of His mouth. That time has not come. The time of the appearing of the stars is present, so that we are enjoined here not to be murmurers nor disputers, but irreproachable, the children of God. How searching it is, beloved, as to whether there is in my person,
about me, in my circumstances, in my family, anything that is reproachable! We are to be blameless and harmless, irreproachable, the children of God; we are to shine as lights. We are to appear as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. So that the believers viewed as the family or children of God are in keeping with the light in its universal character. For it is not simply that I shine locally; I shine in relation to the sun in the heavens. As the stars shine so the believer reflects Christ. As of the children of God he shines, he appears as a light.
Then it says, "Holding forth the word of life". I believe God would lay that upon us. The word of life is the expression of it, holding it forth in testimony. God would honour us, dear brethren, in holding forth the word of life. It is no question of gift here. It is responsibility laid upon us to hold forth the word of life. As it says elsewhere, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely", Revelation 22:17. A wonderful testimony! The thing is there. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Genesis 6:13 - 16
In taking up this scripture tonight I have in my mind to speak of it as representing Christ. I wish particularly to present it in relation to its measurements, having in view that God is a God of measure (2 Corinthians 10:13).
It is well that we should have before us that He is a God of measure. The physical creation attests the accuracy of His measurements, and the principle enters into every part of the creation. And as it marks the physical system, so it marks the moral system. The moral system is pictured in the tabernacle and its appurtenances in the book of Exodus, and there, as most of us know, we find the principle of measure, beginning with the passage I have just read, and working out from the ark to the curtains of the court; in other words, working out from Christ to the uttermost boundaries of the moral system.
Taking up this principle, the apostle Paul enjoins young believers, as at Rome -- indeed, all believers -- to be governed in their service by the measure of faith given to each. Then in writing to the Corinthians he calls attention to the fact that he himself was governed by that same principle. His service was according to the measure that God had apportioned to him. He points out that that measure enabled him to reach even to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 10:13 - 16). Every convert through his ministry was an evidence of that measure. It is noteworthy that this appears in the letter to the Corinthians. This is no doubt in keeping with the fact that the truth is developed in those letters from the standpoint of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and so it was important that these refractory converts, which, alas!, they
were, should know that if they were aiming in their pride and ambition to reach beyond their measure, and so distort the divine thoughts, he, the apostle, did not go beyond his measure. He was moving in accord with the God of measure. It was for them to learn what measure it was God had apportioned to each of them, and not to pose in another man's line of things, which they were doing, made ready to their hands (2 Corinthians 10:16).
I mention all this in a prefatory way, believing in its practicableness if we are to move here so as not to disturb the divine equilibrium. God works according to the principle of weight and measure; otherwise we should not have the physical universe as it exists. And these same principles apply in the moral system. It is a question of weight, as it were, and measure -- I have measure particularly in mind -- and unless each of us discovers his measure, the measure that God has apportioned him, we shall disturb, as I said, in so far as we may, the divine equilibrium -- a most serious matter! The Corinthians were doing it, and what began there has extended in our day throughout the length and breadth of christendom; and in it we find a perfect travesty of the poise which marked the divine moral system at the outset. It is for us, therefore, as being recovered through the grace of God, to recognise this great divine principle, so that each of us may be found moving according to the measure which God has apportioned him.
I have taken up the ark of Noah on these lines, and I wish to speak of it for a moment as a type of Christ. Relatively it is a type of the assembly also, and I wish to indicate this in my remarks. I wish to speak of it from the standpoint of its dimensions, but I shall allude to other features. What is to be observed is that Noah is enjoined to make himself this great vessel (verse 14). We may conclude, therefore,
that it represents Christ from our side. Indeed, the passage in Hebrews 11, commenting on this section of Scripture, speaks of Noah preparing an ark by faith for the saving of his house. Now when we come to the ark of the covenant, Moses was not enjoined to make it for himself or for Israel. It is not there Christ on the side of man. It is Christ on God's side.
God said to Noah, "Make thyself an ark of gopher wood", Genesis 6:14. As made, Noah would regard it as available on his side. It was, as it were, his. Its measurements, as you will observe, were large. It would be a good-sized ship even at the present day, notwithstanding the enormous dimensions of some vessels afloat. This vessel measured at least four hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide and forty-five feet deep. Now these measurements being so comparatively extensive are given with divine intent. We are reminded that there was to be capacity in this vessel for everything of God, including men and the lower creatures on the earth. All were to be accommodated there.
Now in speaking thus I want just to fix on your minds the greatness of Christ as become Man, and I have in view that we may become large correspondingly. Our environment affects us, whatever it may be. If we are located in a small island, for instance, the tendency is to be insular and circumscribed, whereas the thought of God is that His people should be enlarged, that they should embrace everything that He is thinking about. The blessed God has been pleased to disclose His mind to us, to disclose to us the things that are occupying Him. Is it not wonderful? How large a place are we giving to those thoughts of God? Are our hearts so enlarged, so in keeping with Christ as He was, and as He is, as to embrace all the thoughts of God? and not only all His thoughts, but all His people?
And I may go farther and say that we should include the whole race of man, for the more we are in accord with Christ, with His great measurements, the more shall we include what God is interested in, and He is interested in the whole race of mankind. In the book of Jonah you see how God was interested in the hundred and twenty thousand souls that did not know their right hand from their left hand. God thought of them. Jonah 4:11 So you see these great dimensions, as typifying, as I am sure they do, the Lord Jesus, point to inclusiveness of everything that is of God. But although so great they are exclusive of everything that is not of God. Thus while we are to be enlarged, let no one be loose in his enlargement of heart. There was no natural sympathy, no sentimentality to govern Noah in those whom he was to admit into the ark. God specified what was to be admitted. In principle not one iota of the corruption that marked the antediluvian world was to be admitted, but there was abundance of room for all that was of God. There is an inclusive principle which involves the work of the Spirit in us, an enlargement that He produces in accordance with Christ. Then there is an exclusiveness involved in the presence of the Holy Spirit, for He is the Holy Spirit, and that means that He tolerates nothing that is unholy, so that we are to be large enough to include all that is of God, and on the other hand to be rigidly exclusive of what is corrupt, and what is not of God.
The Lord Jesus as here in manhood embraced infinitely every divine thought. I have in my mind the gospel of Luke. You see, for instance, how Simeon held Him in his arms as a babe and what great thoughts came into his mind by the Spirit; he blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ... a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel", Luke 2:29 - 32.
You see how the greatness of Christ, as indicated in these dimensions, came into Simeon's mind by the Spirit. It is thus He comes into our minds, beloved, by the Spirit in the temple. You apprehend Him in this greatness: as the angels had said, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men", Luke 2:14. You see the greatness, the vastness of the thought that came to light even at the birth and childhood of Christ.
One might cite instance upon instance throughout Luke to show how this greatness was evidenced in the Lord. As risen He says that repentance and remission of sins should be preached to all nations. You see how wide His scope was. And then again in the epistles, "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all", 1 Timothy 2:5,6. The whole race of man was in view in the Lord's mind as He died. I may say indeed, beloved, that every one of us was individually before the Lord as He died; the smallest as well as the greatest of the redeemed were in the mind of Christ when He died. Does that not touch your heart? Paul said, "Who has loved me and given himself for me", Galatians 2:20.
Then there were rooms in the ark. One could enlarge on them, but the time forbids it. The meaning is, as I apprehend it, that the Lord would take account of each family or each subject, as I may say, in the divine testimony, by itself.
Some of us are altogether too general. It is well to be general at times, of course, but it is also well to be particular. There is generalisation which is right to a point, but we must never forget particularisation. There are particular things we have to deal with, and we have to learn to deal with them by
themselves -- in relation to the whole, to be sure, but things have to be taken up separately to be rightly understood. The Lord would show us how He took things up in His teaching.
The word for rooms may be rendered 'cells', compact places, in which one could retire and take account of any given thing. It might be one of a species of creation as an illustration. Any one of them might be confined in one of these cells in the ark, and one might go in there and look at that species and contemplate it. It presented some feature to the mind of God. Every order of creature in the different families of the lower creation presents some thought of God. And so, taking this up spiritually, you see how many things there are to be contemplated. What a variety of things there was to see as one would move about in the ark! All were God's creatures; they were created for His pleasure, and hence to be admired. They were types of what we have now spiritually.
I do not agree with the word 'non-essential' as applied to divine things. We hear much of non-essentials. Scripture admits of nothing like that. At the same time there are gradations in importance in divine things. The ark was thus fitted for contemplation. Things could be regarded separately, all witnessing to the thoughts of God.
Then the ark was built in first, second and third storeys. These are but an amplification of what I have been speaking. There were compact compartments or cells, of which doubtless there were many, but there were three gradations of dignity -- first, second and third storeys. These three distinctions are maintained throughout Scripture. There is the third heaven as an illustration, and an outer or atmospheric heaven spoken of. Then again we find it here and we find it in Exodus; the holy of holies,
and the holy place and the court. The same is seen in the temple Solomon built. So that we have thus indicated, gradations of privilege and dignity -- another great lesson to be learnt in the teaching of Christ. He unfolded these things, and they are further unfolded in the epistles; the assembly is in the place of greatest privilege. We read of the Father of whom every family in the heavens and on the earth is named. The assembly has the first place obviously. Then there is Israel occupying the next place of privilege, and then there is the area of the nations. So that God maintains these distinctions right through, and He would have us to know them. If we occupy the third storey (which is emphasised in the New Testament in the upper room, and so on) we can easily traverse the other two. Have you ever done it? You see many believers are unaccustomed to take up the things of God in their subdivisions, hence there is loss of spiritual understanding and enlargement.
I cannot close this subject without saying a word about the door. It came out in Christ; it means His availability to man. The door was in the side. It refers, as I have said, to the accessibility of Christ. To the neediest, the most despised of men He was always accessible, as it says, "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them". Luke 15:2. Let us not forget the door. The assembly should correspond with all these features.
I urge upon you the importance of understanding the greatness of Christ as Man here from the standpoint of including everything that was of God, and carrying through, even through death, all intact. Nothing was lost. All was brought through, and it is maintained now in the assembly in the power of the Spirit. The holy city, Jerusalem, the Lamb's wife, will have all the divine thoughts. She corresponds with God's measurements
There was a light on the top of the ark, finished in a cubit. The light came from heaven. For us everything is seen in that light:
Everything that Christ did was in relation to heaven. Luke begins with heaven, Gabriel himself having come out of it. And then the angel goes to the shepherds; then there is a multitude of the heavenly host; all is from that standpoint. Correspondingly, we who occupy, as I may say, the third storey are in a position of knowing everything, having the light of heaven. The Lord said to His disciples, "Rejoice that your names are written in heaven", and then He lifted up His eyes and prayed, saying, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes", Luke 10:20,21. The whole system of divine purpose is knowable to us. It is within our range. Heavenly light sheds its beams on all. We see everything from the top.
Exodus 25:10 - 16; Numbers 10:33 - 36; Joshua 3:3,4,14 - 17
Our subject tonight is really a part of what we had before us last evening. We dwelt on the ark of Noah, occupying ourselves chiefly with its dimensions, as pointing to the greatness of Christ as Man. It was said to Noah, "Make thyself an ark", Genesis 6:14 pointing to Christ as on man's side, and embracing in His mind and heart all the thoughts of God, all the objects of divine consideration, and carrying all through against all contingencies, including death itself, into the new world, the world in which God smelt a sweet savour, and in which He said, "While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease", Genesis 8:22 a fixed order of things.
Now, what is before us tonight is the ark of the covenant. It is that in which God sets out His testimony -- another side of the truth. He does not say to Moses, Make thyself an ark. It was not made exactly for the people. It is habitually called the ark of the covenant, or the ark of Jehovah, or the ark of God. Sometimes it is referred to simply as the ark, but it is never spoken of as the ark of the people.
Now I need not suggest that we are dealing with a very great subject, and the Lord's help is needed peculiarly that we may dwell upon it in a true priestly way, for in dealing with the ark all other hands were shut out save those of the priest. As carrying it the Levites are called priests in Joshua, for it requires hallowed hands to touch it. But, nevertheless, it is to be touched. John leaned on the bosom of Christ, for the love that is there casts out fear; but in casting out fear from our hearts He qualifies us by self-judgment, by the Spirit of holiness
by the Spirit of truth, to have to say intimately to the ark. John says again in his epistle, "That ... which we have heard, which we have seen ... and our hands have handled". 1 John 1:1. You see what a priest he was, and so it is he, I apprehend, whom the Spirit of God employs to set out Christ as the great antitype of the ark. It is not Christ, as I have said, on our side, but on God's side.
John begins in his gospel by presenting the Lord. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God", John 1:1. He is about to present Christ as having been not only God, but with God, in order that God should be rightly presented to us; being with Him is held in prominence. And so as regards the Holy Spirit coming out, He is sent by Christ as having been with the Father (John 15:26). He goes forth, the Lord says, "from with the Father". Then again, John the baptist was a man sent from God. These passages express what was in the mind of the Spirit in John's gospel. He says, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father)", John 1:14. Then again, "No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" John 1:18. It is from the divine side. We have to grasp the idea at the outset in John's gospel, if we are to understand the whole gospel, namely, that the Lord is presented from the divine side, and is so to be apprehended by us if we are to understand Him as the ark of the covenant.
What comes out immediately in John is the suggestion of the measurements of the ark of the covenant. Although so great, the Lord came into exceedingly small circumstances. What He is in His Person is announced at the very outset. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word
was God. Without Him was not one thing made that was made. The great fact of His Person is laid down in the plainest possible terms so that it should lay hold of our souls from the beginning, and then we can follow the Lord into the small outward circumstances into which He was pleased to come. The measurements of the ark of the covenant were small. The measurements of the ark of Noah were large. But when we are directed to the Person of the Lord, we are reminded that He is divine, that He is no less than God Himself, and being that, He can come into the very smallest circumstances, and we follow Him into those circumstances with hallowed minds, reverential minds. We learn to take off the shoes from our feet, so to speak. We learn the sacredness of the Person and the surroundings. John says, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us". John 1:14. He does not say, 'became man'. He says, "became flesh". That includes the Lord as a babe, as it includes Him as a boy, and as a man. He was as much in flesh as born in the manger as He was when He was witnessing in the power of the Spirit in His ministry.
How it bows the heart, beloved, as one contemplates that great Person -- He who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man hath seen nor can see, the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the blessed and only Potentate, who in His time shall show that He is King of those that rule, the Lord of those that exercise lordship -- that He should become flesh, that He should be pleased to come into such small circumstances! And yet the Person remains what He was, what He is, and what He shall be, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for ever! All this bows the heart, as I said.
And so in that condition the loved one says by the Spirit, We contemplated Him, we contemplated His glory. Have you done it, beloved? Have you by
the Spirit, humbly and holily and abstractedly contemplated the glory of that One who has become flesh? It is as become flesh that He is contemplated. As dwelling in light unapproachable I could not contemplate Him, but He has become flesh; I can contemplate Him, but it is as an only One with a Father. It is a great thing to learn how to contemplate. It is not a passing glance; your heart is arrested, your mind is arrested. As of old Moses turned aside to see a great sight. What was the great sight? A bush burning and the bush not consumed. What kind of a bush? A thorn bush. But Jehovah, the I AM of Israel, was there. He was in the bush, and as Moses turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush. God is to be apprehended in those outwardly small circumstances. When Moses turned aside to see, God spoke to him, and He says, "Moses, Moses"; Exodus 3:4 as much as to say, You are to be recognised now.
Beloved, have we turned aside to see this great sight, the eternal God become flesh? The voice says to Moses, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground". Exodus 3:5 Then follows a wonderful communication. Moses inquires as to what he should say to the people: who had sent him? God says, "Thus shalt thou say ... I AM hath sent me unto you". "I AM THAT I AM". Exodus 3:14. The eternal God, the self-existent One, had come into the bush. And so in John 1 the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He came not only into manhood but into ordinary human circumstances. It was not a passing visit; He dwelt among us. God came into our circumstances to be seen of men, to be apprehended. And John says immediately, "We have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father", John 1:14 not now the burning bush, but One, as Man, in the affections of the Father
In Luke He is in Simeon's arms. He is on our side. We are entitled to appropriate Christ, as in Luke He is on our side. But in John He is in the Father's arms, so to speak. God claims Him.
Then in verse 18, "No one has seen God at any time". Now we come to the direct reference to the Person: "The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him". John 1:18 It is not there, 'was in the bosom of the Father', but as meaning that He is where the love is. Does that not touch your heart? He is where the love is. It is the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father; and the passage was written long after the ascension of Christ to heaven. It is therefore the present moment. The declaration is past, of course; He hath declared Him.
There are powers in this world at the present time that are seeking to shut out the love of God from this world. They are seeking to shut out the light of it from men's hearts. So you find in the book of Revelation (chapter 15), angels come out of the temple and they are girt about the breasts with golden girdles. They are given the seven vials of divine wrath to pour out upon the world. In chapter 16 the world as we know it is dealt with by these executors of divine wrath. The explanation is evidently that the world has shut out the love of God. Organised opposition in this world is the most potent of all opposition, and the world is intensely organised, religiously, socially, and, I may say, commercially, to shut out the love of God and make it ineffective in the heart of man. God resents it.
John the baptist says, as he sees the Lord coming to him, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world". John 1:29 Now we have a diminutive expression, a sacrificial expression. It is not a bullock or goat. It is a lamb, a creature that conveys
what is diminutive and precious. Such was Christ in this world as the antitype of the ark of the covenant.
Then again the next day John looks upon Him as He walks, and says, "Behold the Lamb of God!". John 1:36. One so delightful to God, so infinitely precious, so intrinsically precious to God; John's heart is full. Have our hearts been full as we contemplate Christ, as in John's gospel, come into such small circumstances so as to be within our range? The Lamb. You will remember how the lamb of old was to be in the house of the Israelites from the tenth day to the fourteenth day of the first month before it was slain. It was there so that every inmate of the house should come to regard it according to its true worth, and so is the Lamb in the gospel of John.
I have said all this as amplifying the idea of the measurements of the ark. The measurements are two and a half, by one and a half, by one and a half cubits. What I understand is, that the half applies to the Lord as being much less outwardly than inwardly when in the world. What I have said indicates it plainly. The Lord was greater inwardly than He appeared outwardly, and if you follow from the outset, having the fact clearly in your soul that He is a divine Person, you will be drawn to Him. In love He was pleased to humble Himself, making Himself of no reputation. He sits on Sychar's well. The Holy Spirit tells us He was wearied with His journey. That is not a mere incident that might easily be left out. It is placed there by the Spirit to call our attention to the reality of the circumstances and conditions into which Christ came. The woman who had come from the city to draw water contemplated Him simply as a Jew. True enough He accepted the fact that He was a Jew. He says, 'We know what we worship'. Think of the Lord saying that! "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews", John 4:22.
But is that all? No. He says, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water". John 4:10. There you come to the Lord's formal recognition of the dimensions of the ark. He was ostensibly a Jew, a wearied man. But who was He? If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is. You have to come to that if you are to know Christ. We have to apprehend Him in His personal greatness, although in these circumstances. As knowing this, the woman would ask of Him. What would He have given her? Living water. God was before her; the whole testimony of God was there. He says to Nicodemus, "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen". John 3:11 He could speak of the heavenly things. All the thoughts of God regarding the earth could be unfolded and were unfolded, and all the thoughts of God as to heaven.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life", John 3:16. That was the testimony. It was in that blessed Man, who was regarded as so insignificant in man's eyes. The ark was covered with gold inside and outside. The shittim wood denoted what I have been saying, that the Word had become flesh, but in John's gospel it is not so much a question of His humanity, but that God was expressed there: the gold was inside and outside; all that was seen was gold. So that when Christ was seen by Nicodemus the testimony of God was there.
Now I wanted just in closing to dwell on the passage in Numbers to show how, as the ark of the covenant, He has the saints in view. It is said that they moved from the mountain of the Lord, and as
they moved out the ark of the covenant went before to find a resting-place for them. That is a feature that is extremely interesting as pointing to the love of God for the saints. There is the love of God to the world, which is universal. But John's epistle speaks of the love of God to the saints, and so, as the saints move the ark goes before them to find a resting-place.
What you get in John's gospel, almost immediately, is, As many as received Him, to them gave He the title to take the place of children of God. Love would give us that place. It is a question of the love of God, and that love doing its utmost for the saints. Hence, as many as received Him were given the title to take the place of children of God. And the covenant is, Behold, what manner of love; it is the manner of the love that God has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God. Then in chapter 20, where we see the ark out of Jordan, out of death, the Lord comes into the midst of the company and gives them rest. As He is going down to the Jordan the enemies are there in full force, and He inquired from them whom they sought. They say, "Jesus of Nazareth". He says, "I am he", John 18:5 literally it is 'I am'. The enemy's forces went backward and fell to the ground. But He says, "If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way". John 18:8 He has the saints before Him. He would give them rest.
What comes out in John's gospel is that divine love will do its utmost for us. As the people moved out the ark went before, three days' journey, to seek a resting-place for them. That touches the heart. "If ... ye seek me", He says, "let these go their way". And as He comes out of death He seeks them. As He says, "I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice". John 16:22 He was thinking of their hearts. He was thinking of them. "Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you". See how secure
it is! He went before them three days' journey to seek a resting-place, and when the ark went out we are told, further, Moses said, "Rise up, Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered". That was Christ going into death. The enemy went backward and fell to the ground. The Jordan was driven back. But when the ark rested it says, "Return, Jehovah, unto the myriads of the thousands of Israel", Numbers 10:36.
You see what the ark does? It makes a place. It leads the saints into rest, and makes a place amongst them for the presence of God, for John's thought is to bring in divine Persons in their love even to one person. "If a man love me", the Lord says, "he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him", John 14:23. Is not that wonderful? Divine love is at our disposal in John's gospel and will do its very best for us.
Now I wanted just to say a word about Joshua to show how we, as believers, are to keep before us the great difference between Christ and us, especially as seen in His death. The word says there were to be two thousand cubits distance between them and the ark. I want you just to take note of that, because as you do you are impressed with this, the great difference between Christ and you. He must always have the pre-eminence. Two thousand cubits would be at least three thousand feet or one thousand yards, a very substantial measure. I was saying yesterday, having in view God as a God of measure, we must ever bear in mind that there are divine measurements. The Israelites moved on as they saw the ark, but they did not crowd it. They were taught by the distance to be respectful, to be reverential. Do we not need such instruction? How easily our natural minds slip in in dealing with the things of God! How easily we forget the greatness of the Person
of the Lord, that He could go alone into death, in all its power, and roll it back! For it is said that Jordan overflowed all its banks. Mark that! At the time of harvest death had risen to its height. As we see that solitary Man go forward as John presents Him, He is going down to deal with that thing that had terrorised man for centuries, the enemy of God and of man, in the hands of Satan -- even death itself. He was going to annul it.
It was the Son of God that was going down into death. No one could take His life from Him. He had power to lay it down and take it up again. He goes into death and annuls him who had the might of it. And now the people pass over. The feet of the priests stood firm in the bed of the Jordan until "all the Israelites passed over on dry ground". God had said to Moses, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest". Exodus 33:14. The ark was a symbol of that presence. It remained in the bed of Jordan until every Israelite had passed over into the land of promise.
You see what love will do for us -- what it is doing for us today! It has enabled us to go into Canaan, the place of blessing and privilege. The love of God in the Son of God has gone into death to give us rest. In resurrection He says to Mary, "Go to my brethren". What a word! He is going to give them rest as brought into His own relationship with His Father. "Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God". John 20:17 Mary went and told the disciples these things, and then the Lord Himself came where they were, saying, "Peace be unto you". And again, "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you". And having breathed on them, He said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit". John 20:19 - 22. Thus they stood up in peace. Love had done it for them
May God help us to follow Him as the Israelites followed the ark! The two thousand cubits typically imply that they followed respectfully and reverentially; and every one of them went over. The feet of the priests stood firm in the bed of Jordan until every Israelite went over. God gives us rest. He rests in His love, but He rests in having us in His rest.
John 18:34; John 1:45; John 4:28,29; John 6:67 - 69; John 9:17
The gospel of John bears on the last days. This is stamped on it throughout, and so this answer or inquiry of the Lord from Pilate bears on our day too, in which much is given out that is heard from others: "Sayest thou this thing of thyself ... ?". There is great light, thank God, and much writing -- there is much to write about and there is much to speak about. John's gospel fits in with this, for it says that if all the things which Jesus did were written, "even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written"; John 21:25 so that there is plenty of substance and plenty of matter too for conversation amongst the people of God. It is right surely that we should transmit to one another the things that we know, according to what marked earlier believers, of whom we read they "spake often one to another"; Malachi 3:16 indeed it is not only right and of God and profitable, but imperative that the saints should thus converse. I do not suppose there will be any writing or discourse in heaven, but there will be holy converse, and this holy conversation begins now on earth. We are made accustomed to it now as being of the family of God, for we speak often one to another. As of old, too, God has His part, for it is said, "He harkened and heard", Malachi 3:16 and so God has delight in it.
The features of the new man which are delightful to Him appear, as the saints thus dwell together in holy conversation, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, and singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, and even speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord. All these things are delightful to God but then dear brethren this
inquiry by the Lord from Pilate bears much on our position as to what we say. Are we simply retailing what others have said? It is right, as I said, that there should be writings, for it is according to God; it is the next best thing to speaking, and if you cannot hear a person speak, the next best thing is to read what he says; and that is of God.
But then this inquiry of the Lord bears on us, as I have said, for it is not written as a mere item of historic interest. It is that; but God never confines Himself to mere historic records. The Bible is not history; so much could have been written that is left out, and therefore what is written has to be noted as of great value and as bearing upon us not in a historical way but in a moral way. If, as I said, books that could fill the world have not been written, how valuable must the one be that is written, though relatively small. Every word of it is pure gold, so to speak, whether spoken to a Roman governor, or to a Jewish high priest, to a thief on the cross, or to a Pharisee or a Sadducee. Every word recorded from the lips of Christ is pure gold tried in the fire. As the psalmist says, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times", Psalm 12:6. "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver", Psalm 119:72.
And so this inquiry of the Lord refers to me in what I am saying to you now: "Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?". The Lord would help Pilate. John's account of His intercourse with Pilate shows very great consideration on the part of the Lord for the Roman governor. He recognised him in his official place, as being there of God. He says to him, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above". John 19:11. The Lord says nothing at all to Herod, but He answered Pilate and spoke to Pilate -- indeed said
more to him than Pilate asked for. Pilate says, "Art thou a king then?". Jesus answered, "Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth". John 18:37. Had Pilate taken that in he would have seen that the Roman system was not according to God. The Caesars were not all born kings; they usually acquired the position. The divine thought is that the king is born, and the Lord would instruct Pilate; and it is written for us that we might understand kingship. And so the wise men said, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?". Matthew 2:2. They were in the mind of God.
But Pilate had asked Him, "Art thou the King of the Jews?" John 18:33 and the Lord says, "Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?". Had I asked Mary Magdalene if she had said it of herself in calling Him Lord, or did someone tell her that, or did she hear Peter or John saying it: 'No', she would reply, 'I did not hear Peter say that, or I may have heard him say it, but I have found it out in my own soul'. She had companied with the Lord, she had observed Him, she had come under His authority and influence, and so she had discovered that He was greater than David. And so also did the blind man outside Jericho, who said, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me". Mark 10:47, Luke 18:38. Were someone to ask him, 'Did Peter or John tell you that?'. 'No', he would say, 'I know He is the Son of David': that is, he said it of himself. It was the outcome of light in his own soul. And so with Nathanael -- he said, "Thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel". John 1:49. It was the result of light. Where did the light come from? Direct from the Lord. The Lord had said, "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee". John 1:48 "Believest thou?" He believed. What did he believe? That He was the Son of God, that He was the King of Israel. Philip had spoken to him, but he did not tell him He
was the Son of God, for as yet with Philip it was Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph. Nathanael discovered it by light from the Lord; he had to do with the Lord. And so in many other instances. But what in regard of Pilate? Others told him of Jesus.
Now, beloved, you can see the bearing of this. You want to be able to say things of yourself, whether you speak to God, which every true believer does, or to others. The publican in Luke 18 first speaks to God, "O God, have compassion on me, the sinner", Luke 18:13 and even that he said of himself. He was convicted. And so as you receive the Spirit you cry by the Spirit, "Abba, Father". If you say no more, God is delighted with that. You are saying it of yourself, you are saying it as a result of light in your soul, you are saying it by the Spirit. There is power in it and unction, and there is refreshment in it for all who hear, but nevertheless you are saying it of yourself.
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, and so we cry, "Abba, Father". So if you preach the gospel, what you say you are to say of yourself, as the apostle says, "I believed, and therefore have I spoken". 2 Corinthians 4:13. When you believe, it is not what another brother says; it is a question of light in your soul in connection with God. You apprehend something -- you apprehend God in Christ, you apprehend the significance of the death of Christ, and the cleansing value of His blood. "I believed", the apostle says, "and therefore have I spoken". It is what you apprehend on the principle of faith that you speak of yourself, and not more than that; and then if you speak to the Lord's people (and I know well enough what a bearing this has on oneself) the exercise should be to speak of yourself, that is to say, to speak of what you believe -- of what you apprehend in relation to God in Christ and what God is in Christ in relation to the saints. The gospel is what God is in Christ in relation to all men; the ministry of the new covenant
is what God is in Christ in relation to His people; and the ministry of the mystery is what God is in Christ in relation to the assembly. We have to apprehend these things if we are to speak of them. And so this word comes in as a test, "Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?". Everyone who speaks has to answer that question in his own soul as before God.
Now I want to show you in these scriptures I read examples of this, and I select Philip because I take him to be among the first, if not the very first of the examples, although I might have cited John the baptist, for he indeed is a sort of ideal of John the evangelist. He records certain features of the baptist that convey to one a divine idea of service. A man who in his ministry is approached by the leading religionists of the day, as in our time by such as the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Moderator of the Assembly in Edinburgh, or of the Methodist Conference, is greatly tested. It is as if all these combined were to send a message to one of us knowing that he is serving the Lord and make proposals to him as the leading servant of the day. Thus it was that these sent from Jerusalem messengers to John to ask him if he were the Christ. There was sufficient power in his ministry to enable him to assume that, and he would have been received and popularised. It was a tremendous test for him -- a tremendous appeal to his pride, but he says, 'No, I am not the Christ, or that prophet'. 'Why!' he says, "In the midst of you stands, whom ye do not know ... the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose". John 1:27.
In the presence of an invitation to become a great religious leader -- the greatest of his day -- to be taken in by the great religious centres of the world -- to be acknowledged as such, John says, "No". Then they inquire, "Who art thou?" "What sayest thou of thyself?". He said, "I am the voice". John 1:23 You
see he had a true estimate of himself on the one hand, and on the other hand, a true estimate of Christ. These are features that will keep you balanced -- a sense of the greatness of Christ and of your own nothingness -- that without Him you can do nothing.
Well, that is John -- as it says, "He confessed, and denied not". John 1:20 John the baptist, as an ideal servant, brings Christ forward and he dismisses himself with these words, "He must increase, but I must decrease"; John 3:30 he disappears in that glorious confession.
But to refer to Philip. He had been found by the Lord, and he found Nathanael. He is not a baptist, he has as yet no special commission, but he has just been found by the Lord, and he would find another. We have thus in him a type of the young believer. If the Lord has found you, you have to find another. Finding is not a question of gift -- of ministry, it is simply a question of finding, and so Philip finds Nathanael. It was his own movement -- his own desire. And then he says to Nathanael, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph". John 1:45. It was just a young believer like many of you here. The Lord had found him; yet he knew something about the Old Testament. It is well that children should be taught to read the Old Testament, for when they come to serve the Lord it will prove of great value. When you are seeking to find another to bring him to Christ, the Old Testament scriptures will then be of great service to you in seeking to enlighten him.
Philip, therefore, is the ideal for a young christian, while John is the great ideal servant for an old christian, for it is when we are long on the way in service that our pride comes up and we wish to be something. Often when a man acquires a reputation,
he lives on it, and assumes that he should be heard now because he spoke with power some years ago. You have no title to be heard now simply on that ground, you are entitled to be heard only as you speak by the Spirit. John is the model for the old servants, but Philip is the model for the young.
The Lord had no sooner found Philip than he sets out to find Nathanael, and what he said to him was of himself. Philip speaks to Nathanael with beautiful intelligence, saying, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write". John 1:45 Moses is worth listening to, and so are the prophets. You see thus how the Old Testament helps one in his testimony of Christ.
In chapter 4 there is another instance of one who spoke of herself -- this time a woman. I have been thinking lately that we do not value the sisters sufficiently, nor do they themselves sufficiently value the place that they have with the Lord and the service that belongs to them. The New Testament abounds with evidence of the service that may be rendered by them. But then, too, a sister must speak as of herself; she has to speak from her own light and faith. This woman, it says, "left her waterpot", which means that she had become spiritual. There was not the slightest reason why from the literal point of view she should not have taken that waterpot back full of water, but the fact that it is mentioned that she left it is to call attention to her spirituality. The Lord had said that the living water should become in her a fountain of water, and she had laid hold of the thought and so left her waterpot. I do not see that any sister can be of help unless she is spiritual. I do urge spirituality upon the sisters, and it is to the end that they might see the service that is available to them.
I would cite Deborah, a remarkable type of a woman whom God uses. She was the wife of Lapidoth,
which means that she was the wife of a man who had light. There is significance in that. Many of our sisters have husbands who have light, but they must not live on the light of their husbands or they will not be of any use in the service of God. Deborah dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah; that is to say, she had acquired spiritual victory on her own account. It was her own palm tree. She dwelt under that, and hence it says Israel came up to her for judgment. I am afraid of anyone acquiring a reputation so that people seek them out -- they that are sought after and visited. I am afraid of that because the flesh can hardly stand it; yet it is possible, and with Deborah it was so. They came to her; there is no effort on her part to force things on people -- they came to her. I think she is a model for every sister. She dwelt under her own palm tree and her spiritual power among the saints was recognised.
So this woman of Samaria had begun to be spiritual. She has left her waterpot and she went her way into the city and said to the men, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?". In this she shows that she had been in contact with Christ, she had heard Him, He had searched her, and she had judged herself.
One of the men might have said to her, 'Someone told you that'. 'No', she says, 'I have found it out for myself; He has told me all things that ever I did'. Is not that forcible testimony? It is so, and it is within the range of every sister here to tell simply and humbly what she has discovered in her own soul, and God will use it. The Holy Spirit tells us of four women, daughters of Philip, who prophesied. It does not say they were prophetesses but that they prophesied. If they bring God to your soul, what can you say? There was forcefulness in the words of this Samaritan woman and the men of the city were moved by it
Now in chapter 6 Peter is a representative of those who minister the word. It is the only passage in this gospel, I may say, in which the official title or name is used. They are usually called disciples, here they are called "the twelve". They are not called apostles in this gospel, but this is the nearest approach, and I think it is to call attention to those who are specially employed in ministry. In all that I have said about Philip and the woman of Samaria there is no question of gift at all, but now when you come to the twelve it is a question of gift. The Lord says to the twelve, "Will ye also go away?". At the moment there was a great drift away from Christ. The spirituality of His ministry in this chapter turned many away. They could not accept what He was saying. "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him". Spiritual ministry is sure to antagonise carnal people, even professing believers.
Sometimes those who minister drift along with the people, but 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". He said this of himself. It is remarkable evidence of his apprehension of the Lord in relation to ministry. It is a question of the "words of life eternal". He says, "To whom shall we go? thou hast words". It is not here what is written, it is what Christ has. Peter was so in relationship with Him, so near to Him, that he was at the very foundation of things. He has the words; it is a question of what is livingly in Christ. It is a question of being at the source of everything. The Lord had the words. The question of eternal life has been a subject of debate among the people of God. What we get here is the solution -- the words of it. Eternal life is not publicly manifested today, but the "words" convey the divine thought, and Peter recognises here that the Lord had
them, and then he says, "We have believed and known that thou art the holy one of God". It is the past continuous tense. To have part in the ministry we must apprehend Christ in that character -- the holy One of God. Ministry must be in holiness.
I turn now to the case in chapter 9 -- the blind man. He above all others in this gospel illustrates what I am saying. He has been plied with questions and he gives his own account of the Lord. There is something said about him that is not said about any other in the same sense, that is, that he is "of age". "That we may be no longer babes" Ephesians 4:14 is what I would say to young believers. This man is of age; he is grown up; he will answer for himself. You want to arrive at the state of soul in which you can answer for yourself, and then you will answer according to what you have found the Lord to be in the apprehension of your soul. "What dost thou say of him?". He said, "He is a prophet". He had discovered in his soul that much -- that the Lord is a prophet, and then when pressed later, he says, "Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes". If you want to know what I think of Him, He is of God, that is what I think of Him; and they cast him out. You may look out for that. But if you witness faithfully what you know of Christ, saying it of yourself, and are cast out, the Lord will find you. He found this man and made Himself known to him as the Son of God.
I felt the importance of this word on this occasion because, as I said, there is so much that is helpful to the Lord's people in circulation, but while learning from what you read be sure that you get the thing in your soul, and do not speak of it because someone else has said it, but because you have received it on the principle of faith, and so have it as light in your own soul.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 - 10; 1 Thessalonians 2:13,14
J.T. I thought this scripture might help to fix the view of believers on the order of growth in a young assembly. In the Old Testament God says that when Israel was a child He loved him. This assembly at Thessalonica seems to correspond in the New Testament with Israel's childhood. Then He says, "and called my son out of Egypt". Hosea 11:1 Childhood is not the full thought of God for us; it is very lovely in its place, but the purpose of God is sonship. "Out of Egypt have I called my son". God did not say anything to Pharaoh about children, but about His son: "Let my son go, that he may serve me". Exodus 4:23.
Ques. What is involved in "in God the Father"?
J.T. Just what I have been remarking. These Thessalonians are viewed in their youthful condition; it is the only assembly that is addressed in this way, and I think refers to their loveliness of character as representing the early work of the Spirit in an assembly. I suppose each of the assemblies addressed by apostolic ministry represents some feature of truth, and it would seem the Thessalonians represent the feature of youthfulness, youthful freshness.
Ques. Why does he not refer to himself as an apostle here?
J.T. I think it is addressed more personally in that way. There was nothing to rebuke, nothing special to require apostolic authority. He could give thanks for their affections. Here the personal feature as distinct from the official is interesting. Where things are normal, as in a family, there is no need of insistence on what is official.
Rem. There is a verse in the next chapter in which he refers to himself as an apostle.
J.T. Yes. Here he is establishing personal links; it ensures more mutual feeling, which is a great thing. It promotes family feelings and affections more than reliance on what is official. He links Silvanus and Timotheus with him.
Ques. What is the distinction between children and sons in the word you quote?
J.T. I had the word in Hosea in my mind: "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt". Hosea 11:1 In referring to Israel as a child, God alludes to the freshness of youth. It is well known that wherever man is found, youthfulness, whether in little children or in children more advanced, has a great attraction; so Jehovah alludes to the early freshness of affection for Him that marked Israel. He says, "I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown". Jeremiah 2:2 There was freshness with them. But His purpose was not in little children, but in sons, or in the son.
Ques. With the believer should not the two continue together?
J.T. I think we should retain the freshness of youth; you see in the heavenly city how it retains its freshness. There is no element of decay or corruption in the heavenly city. So that whilst we begin as children, that which is expressive of beautiful freshness, we are to go on and retain that freshness, but at the same time develop into manhood. I think 'children', whilst it conveys youthfulness, is also used in Scripture as covering the whole family of God as the objects of His care, and therefore includes all christians, however far advanced. It says in John 1 that those who receive Christ have the right to take the place of the children of God.
Ques. Can you be a child without the Spirit of sonship?
J.T. No, I think not; every child of God has the Spirit. One is not regarded as a child of God, or of the children of God, save as having the Spirit.
Rem. So sonship is more stature than the thought of child.
J.T. Just so; though, as I remarked, the term 'children' is used as embracing all believers, including the whole family of God in John's gospel, however advanced some may be. "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to be children of God". John 1:12 So, too, "See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God". 1 John 3:1 It is a term that refers to us in this world as objects of divine care; but the word 'child' in Hosea has reference to youthful freshness, so it would correspond with the Thessalonian assembly. It was a very young assembly, but it had all the features of life -- of youthful freshness, and that is what God delights in.
Ques. You speak of the features that mark the Thessalonians. What are these features?
J.T. First of all you have that they were an assembly in God the Father, which is an expression not found elsewhere, save in this epistle. Jude 1 is very similar.
Rem. You would make a difference between being "in God the Father" and being "in Christ"?
J.T. Yes; "in Christ" is the normal position of the saints; "in God the Father" alludes to the peculiar affection He had for such an assembly. "When Israel was a child, then I loved him". Hosea 11:1
Ques. Do you think that they were happily conscious of that on their side?
J.T. Evidently; for it goes on to say, "Remembering unceasingly your work of faith, and labour of love, and enduring constancy of hope, of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father" -- it was what was before Him -- "knowing, brethren beloved by God, your election"
-- not as we have it in the common version, "your election of God", but knowing your election as beloved by God. The other expression is hardly clear. The point emphasised is that they were beloved by God. What they were, they were before God, hence the force of the expression, "in God the Father".
Ques. In the second epistle it is "in God our Father". 2 Thessalonians 1:1.
J.T. In the first epistle it is 'in God, Father', really; 'the' has to be put in to make sense in English. I suppose in the second epistle he links himself more with them.
Ques. Why in both epistles does he speak of them as "the assembly of Thessalonians", not as at Corinth, "the assembly of God which is in Corinth"? 1 Corinthians 1:2
J.T. It is to call attention to local growth.
Ques. Would the epistle to the Thessalonians give a more elementary view of the assembly than that to the Corinthians?
J.T. Yes, I think so; there it is "the assembly of God which is in Corinth". Paul views the assembly in a more official capacity there. Here it is a local growth; they were not imported. At Rome the assembly was largely made up of people from other parts; but it was not so at Thessalonica, they were of local growth. You have it in Philippians, too, persons in the locality. The best material usually in a locality is persons of local growth.
Ques. In view of what you have said about children, why does it say "to await his Son from the heavens"?
J.T. It says they had received the gospel; following that, they turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. The main thought is God in the epistle. So too, "God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus". 1 Thessalonians 4:14 They turned to God. The gospel had been presented by Paul as
the gospel of God, corresponding, I judge, with Romans -- the gospel of God concerning His Son; but the apostle had added here the truth of the Lord's coming. They did not know as yet the truth of the rapture, as we speak of it. The coming of the Lord is alluded to in every chapter in this epistle. They waited for God's Son from heaven, meaning He would come back to earth. They evidently did not understand the hope of our calling, which involves the rapture, but they did understand that the Lord would come back to earth again.
Ques. Though addressed to the Thessalonians, would the fact that they were spoken of as the assembly of the Thessalonians mean that their links morally with Thessalonica were broken, and that they had new links with one another?
J.T. I think so, and we shall see in the second chapter that they become catholic; they became followers of the assemblies of God, which are in Judaea; that is another very important thought. Undue localism shuts out the truth of the assembly, and renders it null and void, but the epistle to the Thessalonians shows that they were of local growth, and good material for the development of the assembly in its local character. But then we must not overlook the catholic character, the universal aspect, because what God is doing in this assembly He is doing elsewhere, and He does not intend His people to be purely local. When we come to Ephesians it is "With all lowliness and meekness ... forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit". Ephesians 4:2 That is not the local idea; Ephesians conveys the catholic idea of the assembly, the universal aspect; hence there is only "one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in 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 4:4 - 6. Then the gifts are given to lead
the saints up from the babe state into manhood, "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 universal, but we must begin locally, and I think we may see here that the Thessalonians, beginning locally, developed into universality. Paul shows they had a wide outlook, they looked at the assemblies in Judaea, meaning they were not national; they looked abroad into Judaea.
Ques. Would you make it a little clearer what you said as to local material making the best assembly material?
J.T. I mean persons converted in the place; they have grown up there, That is the best kind of material. Then those who are so regarded are looking at Judaea, which was far away from their own country in that day, for in those days Judaea was a long way from Thessalonica, much longer than it is now because of the means of travel. These Thessalonians did not even consider the labours of their own apostle; they were not hero-worshippers. They might have inquired what was the result of Paul's ministry, but they did not; they thought of the assemblies in Judaea.
Rem. So the apostle preached, and so they believed, was true of these Thessalonians; they turned to God, and so could take up the interests of God in other countries; they got to the centre.
J.T. I thought that; and that is the normal result of the gospel. If God is presented (God in Christ) then He is the Object for us, and we cannot connect Him with a mere locality; He will work in any soil.
Rem. I suppose the question is whether in any other locality there is a centre there for God.
J.T. So if you love God you love your brother also, meaning your brother anywhere, whether your neighbour or otherwise.
Ques. Is there not a tendency to be happy in the thought of the Lord Jesus, and not quite at home with God?
J.T. Well, that may be; the thought here is that everything must refer to God, and I think it is greatly to the credit and honour of these Thessalonians that God was before them. What they had was before God, they turned to God, and then they were beloved of God.
Ques. Could you tell us what is the bearing of the hope referred to in verse 3?
J.T. The hope of our Lord Jesus Christ -- I think it is the hope of His return, not our hope. It is not the hope of our calling; I do not think they understood that. The hope of our calling is a heavenly one.
Ques. Do you mean that their hope was that the Lord Jesus Christ was coming back to establish His kingdom on earth?
J.T. Yes; but that we should be taken out of this earth up to heaven was another thing; that belongs to Colossians and Ephesians.
Ques. In what way were they to be the imitators of the assemblies in Judaea?
J.T. In regard of the order that marked them. There should be no diversity amongst us; I should find a certain order at Thessalonica, and if I went into Asia Minor I should find the same order there.
Ques. If you were to go into a company today and not find the same order as in other places what would you think?
J.T. I should think they were not catholic.
Rem. "Ye became our imitators".
J.T. They learnt from Paul first. That brings out the great importance of leadership amongst the saints. How are young believers to get an idea of order except as they see it? Christ is the great model for us: to "learn from me". Matthew 11:29. You learn as seeing it
in Him. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me". Matthew 11:29. The Lord when here was the model for all that followed Him, not only by what He said, but by what He was. Now it is remarkable here that Paul says, "Ye became our imitators and of the Lord". I can understand a man saying, 'That will never do, why put Paul before the Lord?'. It is to bring out the great advantage of leadership amongst the saints -- the importance of models. If anyone learnt from Paul, he would say, 'You see the thing in me, but you can only see it in perfection in Christ'. That is the effect of all right leadership -- like John the baptist, who transfers his disciples to Christ; so does every true leader. I see a little of the thing in you, and I turn away from you to Christ.
Rem. So in seeking to set forth the truth, you would desire that it might be set forth in the spirit and grace that came out in Christ, so that those who come under it might be attracted to Christ in you.
J.T. If they see a little of it in those who present the truth, they will say, I want to see that in perfection. "Ye became our imitators, and of the Lord". I think it is God's way to have a model in every gathering. "Seest thou this woman?", Luke 7:44 There was a model the Lord would call attention to in Simon's house. It is an exercise whether you in your locality can be called attention to by the Lord as exhibiting in some degree in your walk and ways what He is. So with Timotheus at Corinth; they had gone astray as to the word of the cross; and Paul says, 'I send to you my child Timotheus so that you may learn in him my ways which be in Christ'. Christ was in Paul in a greater measure than in Timotheus, but He was in Timotheus too; so Timotheus was at Corinth as a model.
Rem. That comes out here, "Ye became followers of us"; it is very gracious of the apostle to link the other two with him as "us".
J.T. Apparently they were brothers formed like Paul.
Ques. Do you link this up with freshness?
J.T. It is the normal features of a young assembly; a child grows.
Ques. Why has election such a place here?
J.T. I suppose it has always a place when it is a question of God's sovereignty.
Ques. Would the glad tidings be always presented with election in view?
J.T. I think so. "The elect of God". "I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory". 2 Timothy 2:10.
Ques. Did he present things with that assurance in his heart?
J.T. I believe he did. The daughters of Jerusalem are viewed in responsibility; the daughters of Zion are viewed as daughters of election.
Rem. Verse 7 speaks of the Thessalonians being models.
J.T. That shows how they had learnt of the apostle and those with him.
Rem. I suppose very young children learn from those immediately above them, so that the principle of the model may be present at all stages of our growth.
Rem. In that way the apostle in Philippians says, "Brethren, be followers together of me". Philippians 3:17
Rem. "And fix your eyes on those walking thus as you have us for a model" Philippians 3:17 shows he anticipates many leaders, or models. Would you not expect many in a locality?
J.T. Yes; but certainly God would have one.
Ques. Have you any thought in your mind about "Work of faith, and labour of love"?
J.T. I think the work of faith is that they were not working as a man does, by sight, but on the principle of faith; though so young they had laid hold of the principle of the dispensation.
Ques. Do you mean that those features should be present where the gospel is simply entered into?
J.T. You know how young people's disposition is to be seen by others, and to be praised by others; that is not exactly faith, which is labouring in view of what is unseen.
Rem. So you would not be labouring for results to be seen outwardly?
J.T. No; you would have the unseen before you, what is in faith: "Work of faith, and labour of love"; the word 'labour' is to be noted there; "Know those who labour among you". 1 Thessalonians 5:12 It is the time of labouring, meaning heavy toil, as the Lord says to the disciples in Luke 17, "Which of you, having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle", Luke 17:7 indicating what they were to expect -- they were to plough. You will never get any result without ploughing. They were to plough and take care of the sheep; but after that toil they were not to sit down, but to gird themselves and serve. "Thus ye also, when ye shall have done all things that have been ordered you, say, We are unprofitable bondmen; we have done what it was our duty to do". Luke 17:10 That is the principle of the present time, the principle of labour. The Lord Himself says in the prophet Zechariah, "I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground"; Zechariah 13:5 it is a remarkable word. Christian work involves real labour. "For man acquired me as bondman from my youth". Zechariah 13:5.
Rem. So young believers might take this up.
J.T. That is the point. The Thessalonians were only a few weeks old. It shows how thoroughly these things had laid hold of their hearts.
Rem. There is a tendency to a lack of definiteness with us oftentimes!:
J.T. I fear there is very little labour. Merely preaching the gospel on Sunday evenings is not real labour; the thing has to be taken up on the point of labour. Ploughing is the most onerous practice of the farmer.
J.T. Yes; the ploughman knows that.
Rem. "He that goeth forth and weepeth" Psalm 126:6 gives the idea of deep interest.
Ques. Would ploughing have to do with the deepening of the work of God in souls?
Ques. What would you apply to labour, if preaching is not labour?
J.T. Preaching is labour, but not just once; labour is to go on, it is your chief concern.
J.T. Yes; the interests of God are your chief concern; the interests of God are bound up with His people; you have not got them all, you know there are others.
Rem. Of course prayer would come in in connection with labour.
J.T. It would indeed; it is a most valuable service; even a person who is ill can have part in it.
Ques. How is it a young christian will often have greater results than an older one?
J.T. That may be, as we have been saying, that others learn from young ones more quickly than from old ones. I do not think there is any premium on youth in Scripture, at the same time those who are young have energy.
Rem. God does not keep young ones waiting so long as old ones.
J.T. It is so in a family; you say with regard to the older children, they ought to know better than to ask; so it is with older christians, they ought to know better, and God does not answer them. Here
it is on the principle of what marks the assembly, it is on the principle of what your hand finds to do, you do with your might.
Rem. On the principle of bees and the hive; each one should feel his part in that.
J.T. Just so. Another feature of the assembly is they had excellent nursing. The apostle was not only a preacher to them, but he was a nurse. This largely accounts for their development. Good nursing is a great thing in bringing up children, they are not left to look after themselves. It says in chapter 2:5 - 8, "For we have not at any time been among you with flattering discourse, even as ye know, nor with a pretext for covetousness, God is witness; nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have been a charge as Christ's apostles; but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children. Thus, yearning over you, we have found our delight in having imparted to you not only the glad tidings of God, but our own lives also, because ye had become beloved of us". 1 Thessalonians 2:5 - 8 He was as a nurse among them, and not a paid one either, "as a nurse would cherish her own children" -- the skill of a nurse combined with the affections of a mother. The next verses (9 - 12) would show the character of the labour of the apostle: "For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God. Ye are witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe: as ye know how, as a father his own children, we used to exhort each one of you, and comfort and testify, that ye should walk worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory". 1 Thessalonians 2:9 - 12 So that he was father and mother to them; they were wonderfully cared for whilst he was with them, but it was only a short time.
Ques. What was the power on the side of these converts that led them to turn to God from idols as we read at the end of chapter 1?
J.T. I think the presentation of the truth by Paul affected their hearts; but then God was working.
Ques. You mention their hearts, that means love, does it not?
J.T. Yes, but God was working through Paul; they would not be affected by him otherwise. It is very interesting to see in the second chapter, following upon the nursing and fatherly care, how God was brought in for them, so that they received the word of God "not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe". They did not connect what was presented to them in testimony with the vessel, though Paul had his own place with them, but they connected it with God; it was the word of God in a universal way; they saw that God had universal interests. "That ye should walk worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory. And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of the report of God by us, ye accepted, not men's word, but, even as it is truly, God's word, which also works in you who believe". There you have the power, the secret of their formation, the word of God brought in; they were affected universally. Their outlook became universal, therefore it goes on to say, "For ye, brethren, have become imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus". They could afford to be linked up with God.
Ques. Why does it say they "received the word ... of God", but when it speaks of what sounded out from them it was "the word of the Lord"?
J.T. The word of the Lord involves the testimony of the Lord as the King. There is the word of God, the word of the Lord, and the word of Christ. The
word of the Lord is His authority, the place He has in heaven. We have to view the kingdom as connected with the Lord, with His authority, but we have to view it in its moral features too; there is the kingdom of God, so it says, "The kingdom of God is among you", Luke 17:21 that is, though its moral features are not discerned by the natural man, still it is there.
Ques. If these saints received this word as the word of God, would it be in the way the apostle presented it in his manner of life?
J.T. That is an important remark. Paul was the great vessel; the word was commended to them -- the word of God; so too 1 Corinthians 2 says, "that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God". 1 Corinthians 2:5.
Ques. Do you mean that God had got His place in the heart of the one who was the vessel?
J.T. Yes; I think if you had heard him preach you would have been affected by the sense that he had God before him.
Rem. I suppose the idea is that he would be Godlike in the way he would present it.
J.T. It says of him in Acts that "he went in among them" -- not as a great recognised preacher -- "and on three sabbaths reasoned with them from the scriptures, opening and laying down that the Christ must have suffered and risen up from among the dead". Acts 17:2,3 It was careful, laborious work, bringing to their attention that the Jesus he preached was the Christ.
Ques. Why is it there is no reference in this epistle to the Old Testament?
J.T. I do not know; he certainly must have alluded to the Old Testament in his service amongst them.
J.T. But there were Jews too; he entered into the synagogue first; he always linked himself with the synagogue.
Ques. What is the difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven?
J.T. The kingdom of heaven is a term peculiar to Matthew, meaning that heaven is to rule. It is intended to set aside Jerusalem, and the pretensions of Jerusalem. The rule of God is in heaven, not in Jerusalem. Mark and Luke and John present rather the kingdom of God, connected, I think, with the Spirit of God here. The kingdom of God is more connected with God here morally.
Ques. What is implied in their having become "imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea"?
J.T. What we were saying; it shows they were not affected by local feeling, or national feeling, they had God before them; they said virtually, God has assemblies in Judaea in Christ Jesus; these are the ones that have had the greatest advantages; they are older than we are; we had better see how they do things. "If anyone think to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the assemblies of God". 1 Corinthians 11:16 "And thus I ordain in all the assemblies". 1 Corinthians 7:17 The same principles, customs and order are to prevail everywhere. There were no independent assemblies, or meetings, as there are today, but the same order everywhere.
Rem. That is one great evidence of unity.
J.T. It is the great evidence of unity. If you had gone into Corinth before Paul wrote his letter, it would be a question whether the assembly was there at all. They assumed to have the Lord's supper, but he says, it is not it, because of the disorderly way they observed it. "It is not to eat the Lord's supper". 1 Corinthians 11:20 It may be your own, but it is not the Lord's.
Ques. Would it apply to details as to the Lord's supper?
J.T. Certainly, every detail. As soon as you establish local rules, and hold to them, you are in danger of being regarded as the owner of the place; it is your house.
Ques. Is it not a serious exercise, as you go about the country as you do, that things are conducted in some meetings differently from others?
Rem. It would be important to take account of what other assemblies do.
J.T. You want to know what God is doing. It is "the assemblies of God which are in Christ Jesus"; that precludes all human arrangement.
Ques. When it speaks of their having become "imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea", would it relate to assembly matters?
J.T. To the order in which things were done.
Rem. In chapter 1:6 it would relate more to individual matters.
J.T. Yes; when you come to the assembly of God, it means all that marked them as such.
Rem. Not the assemblies of the Jews, but the assemblies of God.
Rem. It is not the assembly at Jerusalem, but the assemblies of God which are in Judaea.
J.T. If he had alluded to Jerusalem only, they would have been in danger of metropolitanism. They were entirely free from national feeling.
Ques. What do you mean by metropolitanism?
J.T. Well, Jerusalem represented that. It seems to me to be very remarkable that there is no allusion to it specially; doubtless it would be included because it was in Judaea, but it was not Jerusalem as a metropolitan centre.
Ques. What is involved in the change from "the assembly of Thessalonians" to "the assembly of God" in a place?
J.T. I think representation. The assembly of God at Corinth would mean that it would represent God there; the order of God would be seen there. "The assembly of Thessalonians" would mean that they were of local growth, and manifesting these beautiful features that would delight God. They were distinctly a work of God in the place where they were converted; they were not imported.
Ques. Would you suggest that it would be right for a local assembly to imitate assemblies at a distance without regard to district assemblies?
J.T. I think it is quite right wherever there is a work of God, and it is known that they are marked by godly order. I think it is quite right to go and see what the thing is like; it is all one piece.
Rem. On the other hand, not to be a mere copyist.
J.T. You cannot go wrong in copying what is of God.
Rem. The practical recognition of one Lord would lead to similar order in every place.
J.T. It would; that is the ground on which Ephesians 4 rests, "one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in 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 4:4 - 6 That is a universal fixed order of things, and every local company should fit in with that, or it is disjointed.
Rem. In Corinthians it says, "to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours"; 1 Corinthians 1:2, that would link them on with the universal order you spoke of.
J.T. Ephesians is a higher platform, "one God and Father of all"; Ephesians 4:6 every local company should fit in with that, and every person in it should fit in with it too.
Rem. So the city is foursquare.
J.T. That is right; it is universal in its aspect, and the same measurement every way.
Rem. The universality works out from within; it is not mere outward conformity.
J.T. There is no value in mere outward conformity without inward exercise. I was in a place some time ago, and a brother said, as to a matter, that 'It is a custom here'. Customs should be universal if they are of God. As brethren we ought to know what is God's order; He has given us His Spirit that we might know the things, and be careful how we do them.
Ques. Would that be the Berean spirit? The Bereans were put in contrast to the Thessalonians.
J.T. They were put in contrast to the unbelieving ones, not to the believing ones. The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica; the lowest rabble were opposed to the truth, whilst the upper classes were in favour of it -- the chief women.
In the working out of the assembly locally we need to have an idea of what the assembly is.
Ques. You have referred to the thought of freshness several times, did the apostle himself show the way it was maintained?
J.T. I am sure it was so. He was very simple; there was no assumption with him; he laboured with his hands.
Ques. Do you mean that each one is to be livingly what he presents in testimony?
J.T. The thing presented is not only to be in teaching. Christianity is not a system of doctrines,
but a living system, composed of persons; so he says to the Galatians, "To whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified among you". Galatians 3:1.
Acts 22:14 - 16; Matthew 27:3,4,19 - 27; Luke 23:39 - 47
I desire to speak about righteousness, particularly to seek to show how it is learned. It is said in the prophets, "When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness", Isaiah 26:9. That time is coming. They are not learning it now. They are developing in unrighteousness, they are well sophisticated in the ways of unrighteousness, whereas in the coming day when God's judgments are on the earth the inhabitants will learn righteousness. It will be a time of learning in many ways, but initially they must learn righteousness. They will learn it from Christ -- by seeing judgments executed. Now righteousness takes the form of grace. At least it manifests itself thus, and the unregenerate take licence, whereas we believers learn righteousness as it comes to us through the way of grace. It is not the age of the reign of righteousness. Righteousness will reign by and by. It will dwell in the new heavens and new earth. Now it is grace reigning through righteousness, and it is learned by believers only, as I hope to show.
So I select the passage in the Acts to bring forward one who was chosen of God to do His will and to see the Just One and to hear the voice of His mouth. Thus we have one selected specially to do the will of God. That element is implanted in a man's soul before he conceives the idea of righteousness, and desiring to learn it he perceives it in perfection in the One whom Scripture designates as the Just One. That is, if God takes up a man and makes a model out of him for us He foreknows him. The natural mind never rises to it, but foreknowledge precedes predestination. He foreknows and He predestinates, and those predestinated are to be conformed
to the image of His Son. Whom He predestinates He calls and justifies, and whom He justifies He also glorifies. God acted with perfect precision in selecting this person to whom Ananias is speaking. The apostle himself is giving the account of it. He refers to Ananias as a devout man who comes and addresses him as brother Saul, that he should receive his sight -- an important thing if we are to approach this great subject of righteousness. Then he says to him, "The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth". Thus the apostle was set in the position of learning righteousness, and he learned it as no one else learned it. He became the minister of it, the vessel through which the light of righteousness should reach all men. Ere he could become such he had to learn it. No one can preach righteousness until he becomes righteous. Noah was "a preacher of righteousness", 2 Peter 2:5 but personally he was righteous. That is, you are what you preach, to be effective. So that Saul had to learn righteousness and he learned it as no other.
I want to show from Matthew 27, before I proceed, types of those who do not learn righteousness, who have the opportunity, at the time when it is easiest to receive and learn. I take Judas as a type of those who do not learn it although having every opportunity to do so. This evangelist alone tells us that he had remorse on account of his traitorship. Remorse is not repentance in a spiritual sense. He had remorse because he betrayed the Lord Jesus, and he handed back the money, but he had not learned righteousness; if he had he would have done much more. Man in the flesh is not capable of this, as in the case of Esau -- he sought the blessing earnestly with tears, but there was no true repentance, no righteousness, no taking account of things
as before God. So Judas throws down the pieces of silver in the temple and says, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed" not righteous, but "the innocent blood". Innocence is not righteousness. Judas had not learned righteousness. He knew Jesus was innocent, but he never learned that He was the righteous One. If you stop with the idea of mere innocence, unless you acquire a knowledge of Jesus as the righteous One you will fail. Righteousness implies the knowledge of good and evil; it chooses the good and judges the evil and refuses it.
Pilate did not learn righteousness, though he had an immense opportunity. "Jesus stood before the governor". Matthew 27:11 The Judge of all, the One before whom every knee shall bow, stands before the governor! In full view of heaven, in all the majesty of His Person, He stands there. Pilate had every opportunity of looking at Him, and he did look at Him and adjudged Him not guilty. He called Him a righteous man, but where did he get the word? Evidently from his wife, and she got it from God. What thoughts are filling Pilate's mind as he sat there on the judgment-seat! He was representative of God, for the Lord recognised the power he had from God. As one thinks of the judges of this land and other lands, sitting in their robes of office to judge, how the need of judgment should arise in them! The Judge of all mankind was before Pilate. At that moment a message comes from his wife: "Have thou nothing to do with that just man". Where did she learn it? She had suffered many things that day in a dream on account of Him. It was God intervening that that man should learn righteousness; but he failed. He took up the word 'just', but only in his lips. He takes water and washes his hands, as if that were righteousness.
What are you going to do, Pilate? He evaded his responsibility, notwithstanding the message from
God through his wife. He failed and brings in a wretched substitute for justice -- takes water and washes his hands before the multitude. He hands that righteous Person over to His enemies to put Him to death. By and by he will stand before the Governor (the Man then standing before him) to be judged at the great white throne. Pilate will have to give account of that message from his wife. He gave way. He had no need to scourge Jesus, but he did. And the soldiers of the governor put on Him a crown of thorns and mocked Him. What value was there in the water and the hand-washing? It is true he had no animosity to the Lord, but he took sides against Him when he should have stood up for Him. What an opportunity for Pilate! People are not unfriendly, not antagonistic, and yet do not learn righteousness -- they give way when tested. With Judas it was a question of avarice; with Pilate of power. You may not be antagonistic, but yet not be in the school of righteousness. You may be washing your hands with mere water, but it is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses from sin; the blood of Jesus Christ the righteous. Pilate never used that.
We may now see how Paul learned righteousness. Ananias said to him, "The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth; for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men". These were stirring things, but Saul was not moving. I want you to see how righteousness is learned. Saul was not doing anything, although listening to wonderful things about himself. The gospel is about Christ, but it also tells us great and blessed things about ourselves -- what God does for us. Listening is one thing, moving is another. Listening is not enough. To learn righteousness you have to move. Jesus said to John, "Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness". Matthew 3:15. Thus He went down into the waters
of baptism. So Ananias says, "Why lingerest thou?". In the movements of faith righteousness appears. You become comely in your going when you begin to move thus (Proverbs 30:29). "Arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord". How was he to preach unless he moves in this connection; how could he baptise unless baptised himself? But he acted on the word (Acts 9:18) and was baptised, and receiving meat was strengthened. In chapter 9 we learn of his movements when he was among the brethren. He had to go into the city to learn what he was. If you are to be effective in the Lord's service you must learn to respect the brethren. You cannot be greater than those through whom the light has come. The light is by the Spirit in the assembly. The Lord could have told him all, but he must be led into the city to be told there what he is to do. Although wonderful things were said about his future he is humbly one of the brethren, moving in and out among them. However learned or distinguished, it is right that you should take your place among those that have been in the truth before you. Paul says elsewhere, "Who were also in Christ before me". Romans 16:7 Certain ones had that advantage over him and he owns it. The light has to come to us through them, and it is a matter of righteousness to take our place humbly in the midst of our brethren.
I might add that Paul experienced what it was to move among them, sometimes to receive the cold shoulder, to find his level at Antioch -- he is mentioned last; certain prophets and teachers were there and he was the last named. The Holy Spirit waits His own time to distinguish him. Later he says he was "less than the least of all saints". Ephesians 3:8 That was righteousness. What a learner he was! So the Spirit says, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them". Acts 13:2 What a
work was before them! They had learned righteousness. Hence in Romans righteousness is taught as in no other book by this great vessel. He has seen the Just One and so the great truth dependent on this is worked out. He said to Timothy, "There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness", 2 Timothy 4:8 one of the greatest things, but it is given to all who love the appearing of Christ (2 Timothy 4:8). Righteousness in the believer longs for that. We long for His appearing; it is not the rapture here, but His appearing.
Daniel, we may say, longed for it, and so a date was given him for the bringing in of everlasting righteousness. All that love His appearing get the crown of righteousness, not only Paul. It is like a college degree. There is only one degree as Bachelor of Arts and so on, but many may attain to it. Those who love Christ's appearing will stand out in that day as possessing the crown of righteousness.
Luke 23 shows further how righteousness is learned. The thieves were suffering the extreme penalty. Capital punishment was committed to Noah a preacher of righteousness. His life is demanded of the man who sheds man's blood (Genesis 9:6). But one thief was not learning righteousness -- he spoke insultingly to Christ. He was suffering for his guilt, but made no acknowledgment of it. His attitude shows how impossible it is for man in the flesh to learn righteousness. But the other one, although in accord with him a little before, has changed his mind. We learn elsewhere (Matthew 27:44) that both reviled the Lord; but the light of righteousness streamed into the other thief's soul. Jesus had just said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do".
The repentant thief no doubt heard it and was affected; at any rate, the light of righteousness reached his soul. He rebukes his fellow thief; he was learning righteousness. He says, "We indeed justly ... but this man has done nothing amiss". He learned righteousness in Christ; he saw it there. He has learned righteousness as to himself -- that he is suffering righteously; also as to Christ, for He had done nothing amiss. Luke does not give us the forsaking of God, but that was happening. He who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Saul saw the Just One, so did the thief; he says, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom" -- he was learning righteousness as he hung there in excruciating agony, and he learned something of the kingdom in those few moments. He says, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom". The righteous One has a kingdom. The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The centurion also learned righteousness. It was there in the righteous One who was bearing for us the righteous ire of God. He cried with a loud voice. The centurion witnessing said, "Certainly this was a righteous man". He evidently learned it in that moment. The centurion learned it in His voice -- that one dying in such a manner should have such a loud voice. He is righteous in the midst of judgment. It was not the death of an ordinary man; Christ did not die of weakness. He died in power -- laid down His life. That loud voice spoke volumes. The One who there was in the midst of judgment has come out in triumph, in power -- the voice of the King was heard. In keeping with Luke, the centurion said He was a righteous Man. Matthew and Mark quote him as saying the Lord was Son of God. Pilate had not said it, the other thief had not said it, Judas
had not said it, but the centurion said, "Certainly this was a righteous man". Are we learning righteousness? The Lord says, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me". Matthew 11:29. "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him", 1 John 2:29. Having learned righteousness we are to follow it. In 2 Timothy 2:22 righteousness is the first thing we are enjoined to follow. The family of God are marked off as righteous. They have, as it were, seen the Just One and have heard the voice of His mouth.
Pages 102 to 324 -- "Spiritual Features seen in Samson" and Other Ministry. 1929 - 1932 (Volume 204).
Judges 14:1 - 20
J.T. It is to be noted that the Spirit of God is prominent in Samson. It says at the end of the previous chapter, "The Spirit of Jehovah began to move him". Judges 13:25. Certain features mark each judge; the first one is Othniel, a man of resources; the Holy Spirit seems to be prominent in connection with Samson. The circumstances of his birth help to indicate the mind of God in him. It says in chapter 13 that "the Angel of Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar". Judges 13:20 We are thus in the presence of circumstances that indicate spiritual things. Notwithstanding the extraordinary incongruities in the life of Samson, what underlies are spiritual features that show themselves at times. I think his history indicates the history of the assembly, marked by extraordinary incongruities, and yet God is there, and the power of God evidenced. We could not think for a moment of any individual believer being guilty of his conduct, and yet proving the power of God with him; so that his history is, I believe, a type of the assembly and God's wonderful forbearance; and we see how, at the end, the most humiliating captivity is offset by the overthrow of the Philistine world. The world comes down at the end by the same power that is seen throughout in connection with these extraordinary circumstances. The growth of his hair, I think, marks an epoch spiritually in the history of the assembly. Judges 16:22 says, "But the hair of his head began to grow after he was shaved" -- there is the evidence of latent power in him at the end, which would coincide, I think, with our own time
P.L. Has John's ministry been given particularly of the Lord to bring to light that latent power?
J.T. So it would appear. The element of life is brought in, so that the hair, after the shaving, began to grow. Shaving would be humiliation. The secret of his strength had been divulged, but "the hair of his head began to grow", it says, "after he was shaved" Judges 16:22; it is the evidence of life after the humiliation.
P.L. The fetters of bronze could not bind life, could they?
J.T. No. He was bound with fetters of bronze and made to grind in the prison house -- a most humiliating captivity. But there was life, and it agrees with what he began with: "Out of the eater came forth meat". But the secret of it is in the Spirit. At the end of chapter 13 it says the Spirit of God moved him at Mahaneh-Dan, that is, in his own locality.
Each judge has some peculiar characteristic which indicates the times in which he had to exercise his power and influence. As I was remarking about Othniel, what dominated Israel in his time was the king of Mesopotamia -- the land of the two rivers; that is, it was a question of human resources used to dominate the people of God. The two rivers, I suppose, would point to great resourcefulness, and Othniel judged Israel and went to war, it says; he was a man of spiritual resourcefulness. He belonged to the family of Caleb and his wife was of the same family and possessed springs of water. The idea of a spring is refreshment and resources; there are no limits to a divine spring. So that he had greater resources than the king of Mesopotamia. I only mention that to indicate what is to be gathered up from the book of Judges, that each judge is marked by the features that mark the dominating power that exists in his day, but in a spiritual way. So in
Ehud's day, they were dominated by the Moabites, who were men of pride. The king of Eglon was a very fat man, so what met that was the word of God, the two-edged sword -- the dagger with two edges. Then there was Shamgar, a man of experience and his weapon was an ox goad. Experience was needed to deal with the dominating power in his day, and his experience with God involved discipline, and he was effective in that connection. He smote six hundred men of the Philistines. Then Deborah comes after him; a woman who evidently acquired great power over herself; she dwelt, we read, under the palm tree of Deborah. Then Gideon, who represents the greatest spiritual energy among the judges, was occupied with conserving the wheat from the Midianites. These were the features that marked these men, and God took them up and used them. Whatever were the features that were needed, God takes them up in the person and uses them.
Then there is a history of great weakness after Gideon, till we arrive at Jephthah and Samson -- a history of rivalry. You have the parable of the trees by Gideon's son. Then in Samson we have reference to the Spirit of Jehovah, which is the secret of all that we get in Samson. His was a most sorrowful life, in one sense, because it was the very opposite of nazariteship, and yet the nazariteship was there all along. You can only understand it by taking account of the history of the assembly.
Ques. How do you regard Samson's responsible history in the light of his being a nazarite from birth?
J.T. It relates to the assembly. It is only in the light of the history of the assembly that it can be understood, as far as I can see. The features of nazariteship are indicated in the instructions to his father and mother. The wine would denote natural joys, which are denied to a nazarite; the long hair
would denote that he was to be disregarding of human and worldly propriety. A nazarite is not to indulge in natural joys, nor is he to consider ordinary human propriety. He is to be oblivious to all these things: he is not to be conformed to this world in his habits and dress. He is called really to another world, and he is to be governed by that, so that his dress and deportment here are a testimony against what exists in this world. "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind", Romans 12:2.
Ques. Would the nazarite's position in that way answer to the position of the assembly or the position of the individual believer?
J.T. What the assembly is necessarily works out from its members. The idea of the nazarite has to be taken up by each one individually. What comes out in Romans is that, in answering to our baptism, we walk in newness of life. It does not say what that newness is, but the life is to be new; in other words, it is to be different from what we had been going on with. Then the next thing in Romans in that connection is that we should serve in newness of spirit. Our ordinary life is new, and our relationship with God is to be in newness of spirit. In christendom things are carried on in the old way. There is really no difference in principle between current religion today and what existed in the Old Testament; so we are to "serve", it says, "in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter". Romans 7:6 And then, in chapter 12 we are not to be "conformed to this world", but to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind"; Romans 12:2 that is, our minds are to be occupied, not with current things, the books and other things that occupy worldly people, but with things that are new -- new mental desires and tastes; and thus the nazarite is available from the outset of the believer's history; there is that principle. So that he is not concerned
as to how people take account of him because of his allegiance to Christ; he is different.
The element of nazariteship marked the assembly from the beginning; so these four chapters devoted to Samson cover the whole history. There can be no doubt that the mind of God is seen in the manner of the Angel in connection with his birth. It says, "My name, seeing it is wonderful". Judges 13:18.
Ques. What would help us to the return of nazariteship in these days?
J.T. Well, we have to begin with Romans; there can be no doubt that Romans is greatly needed. If believers in the human organisations around are enlightened by 2 Timothy, they have to begin over again -- that is the principle. There are thousands of people who have been going on with christianity nominally, but when the light of 2 Timothy comes to them and they see the necessity for separation, there has to be a new beginning; they have to begin over again, and Romans is the fundamental part of Scripture. There is not any difference between the religion of today in principle and the religion of Cain; it is the old thing. It has taken on new features, but the underlying principle is the same, and we have to begin with something new. In the case of Samson's parents, the woman is more honoured than the man. Both visits are to the woman, meaning that there was one there with whom God could link Himself. Her husband was behind her spiritually.
Ques. What would the rule of the Philistines represent?
J.T. They were a race of big people and on the same territory as Israel; outwardly they were in the same position. Their domination would be that, that they were men of distinction by their size. They knew the ways of Israel. They came in first with Shamgar Judges 3:31. "After him was Shamgar, the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel".
It was a matter, in his case, of experience; he got them down that way, but here in Samson it is nazariteship. Shamgar delivered Israel, it says; that is, there was a final issue, a definite issue to his ministry. But with Samson it was not so, he brought down the Philistine world in his death. So, in our day, the world is coming down. The overthrow of the world would synchronise, I think, with the translation of the assembly. But what strikes one is the humiliation of it. There is no glory in Samson, nevertheless the fact is there.
Ques. Do you connect the growth of the hair with what we get in the Lord's address to Philadelphia -- a little strength?
J.T. That is just what I thought, and that is to remind the world, if they only knew it, of the end. "But the hair of his head began to grow" Judges 16:22 -- that is the end of things.
Rem. So that the growing of Samson's hair would be a sign in a way; we take our bearings from what is from within, rather than from what is abroad in the world.
J.T. That is the thing; if you see the hair growing -- and it is the hair of his head, mark you, which I suppose would be an allusion to divine intelligence -- it is life in that connection. Seeing these things, you discern more than you would know by taking account of governmental things. International occurrences are not such a guide as we might think, because things happen and re-happen.
Rem. Samson was publicly in humiliating circumstances as the assembly is also publicly, but we are reminded of the fact that the hair is growing.
J.T. That is it. It is by getting hold of things in a spiritual way that we get the mind of God on them. If we bear in mind the circumstances of his birth and of his death, we see just how matters stand.
The circumstances of his birth were most auspicious; the angel did wondrously. His name was Wonderful, reminding us of God's wonderful ways. The more we follow the history, the more we see how wonderful God's ways have been; His patience too. We read that "as the flame went up from off the altar towards the heavens, that the Angel of Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar". Judges 13:20 Although we do not get anything like that at the end of Samson's history, we get it at the beginning -- an allusion which can be spiritually understood. I think the ascension, as we may call it, the rapture, shows that the end is in view at the beginning. You see what God will reach; and the Angel acting wondrously, the divine way, coming into this world and going out of it, and all going up in the burnt offering in the sense of what Christ is, show what underlies the whole history. How can we understand the assembly going up to heaven save in the apprehension of that?
Ques. Samson went astray in his affections; has not that a voice to us?
J.T. That is what marks the history of the assembly, "Thou hast left thy first love". Revelation 2:4. Then there is the teaching of Balaam in Pergamos, and of Jezebel in Thyatira.
Ques. Where do the incidents recorded in this chapter -- the slaying of the lion and the swarm of bees -- come in in connection with what you are saying?
J.T. It is an allusion, I suppose, to the death of the Lord Jesus, for that is where the history begins, and there are results from it; there was a result in life from the very outset.
Ques. Do the bees suggest the energy of life working mutually?
J.T. That is right; We come back to the beginning, I think, where there is evidence of life. I think Philadelphia would embrace what is at the beginning.
There is nothing said about her love for Christ, but there is something said about His love for her: "I have loved thee", Revelation 3:9 He says, showing that she had kept His word and not denied His name. There were assembly features there which stretched back to the beginning. What marks the beginning is that the outcome of the death of the lion is honey. A swarm of bees, I think, is a type of the people of God in life who are the outcome of the death of Christ -- their history is there.
Ques. What is the significance of the honey?
J.T. I think, to follow the type here, it would be the yield of mutual feeling and affection amongst the Lord's people. An element of this kind has to be interpreted according to its setting; elsewhere it would mean something different -- natural sweetness. But in Luke 24 the Lord ate the honeycomb; and He says, too, in the Song of Songs, "I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey", Song of Songs 5:1 so it would be something He could partake of.
Ques. Is the same thought conveyed in that as in Samson's riddle?
J.T. Yes, I thought so. "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness" -- it was food. There was a mutual state of things amongst them in Luke 24; they were gathered together. Those who came back from Emmaus found the eleven and those that were with them gathered together. Then we find that the bees are at work -- Luke alone presents that side; he says that the eleven were gathered together, and those that were with them, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon". Luke 24:34. Then the two related how He had been made known to them in the breaking of bread. There is allusion to the mutual working -- they were all contributing. Then the Lord comes in as they thus spake and says, "Have ye anything here to eat?" Luke 24:41.
Rem. So you would look for the bees working at the present moment.
J.T. Yes, we come back to the beginning. So that the last days of the assembly's history are marked by the features of the first days; that is to say, mutual affections and mutual relations and feelings. There are many who do not accept obligation to contribute in the assembly. Things are left, as far as they are concerned, in the hands of certain ones, which is not mutual feeling at all.
J.J. Would not God secure in the state of nazariteship what He would have in the whole assembly?
J.T. What God can do by one man is indicated in a nazarite. But then this passage does not teach nazariteship; we have to go to Numbers for that. It calls attention to a nazarite who did not live the life of one, but here it is the history of the assembly that is in view. There is nazariteship in the individual. I think that is how it came out; certain persons in the history of the assembly answered to it; so, I suppose, an overcomer in each assembly would in some sense answer to the nazarite. Take for instance in Pergamos, "Antipas my faithful witness, who was slain among you". Revelation 2:13. He must have answered to the true idea of a nazarite. So, I believe, in every church the overcomer would answer in some sense to the nazarite and that would be the link for God -- the link for God would lie there.
P.L. It justifies God going on, and in that way defers the final judgment.
J.T. That is right. So that every phase of the recovery would be connected with the beginning. The Holy Spirit remains in the assembly; in whomsoever He may be is another matter, but He is there, and the principle of nazariteship has existed right through, it was there underlying it all.
Rem. So that the truth of nazariteship was maintained all through by the Spirit.
J.T. That is what I should understand; whereas the public history is marked by the truth having been divulged. The sorrowful side is that Samson divulged the secret, and that is what has brought in the leaven of the systems around us. Who the actual persons were who did that is not of importance, but the thing was done.
Ques. Would you say a word as to having divulged the secret?
J.T. When the assembly waned and left its first love the secrets were given away. In Pergamos you see new teaching. Ephesus apparently kept the doctrines right, but in Pergamos you get the Nicolaitanes admitted; they would be teachers who would give out the secrets. They would bring christian doctrine down to the level of ordinary human teaching, and hence vitiate the doctrines so that christianity was brought down to the level of current teaching.
Ques. Does that reach its head in Jezebel, in popery?
J.T. It culminates in that. She has got hold of all the secrets; she uses the most precious terms in a most vicious way; "that woman Jezebel", Revelation 2:20 the Lord says.
Rem. It has been said it is Satan's masterpiece.
J.T. Well, it is. Then, she took hold of the vineyard of Naboth, the inheritance. What belongs to the true people of God has been boldly taken hold of by her. She has taken over all the precious terms applicable to the assembly; the whole thing, the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the revelation of God, are boldly taken over as her property. That is how the matter stands. It requires nazariteship to deal with that. So, I think, you have in Samson's history these two things running together: the unfaithfulness, on the one hand, that divulges the secrets, that gives away the truth, and on
the other hand, the nazarite was there; there were some who were true.
J.T. Quite so. When the hair begins to grow, that is the end of things for the world. It is for us to see to it that there is the cultivation of what was at the beginning, that is to say, mutual feeling and affection in intelligence, which will in itself bring down all these pretentious things.
Ques. Do you think we get the support of the Holy Spirit on this line, as nazariteship is known?
J.T. That is where it is realised. One is struck with the allusions. First, in the end of chapter 13, the Spirit began to move Samson in Mahaneh-Daniel Then in verse 6 of this chapter the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and in the next chapter, verse 14, we read, "The Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and the cords that were on his arms became as threads of flax that are burned with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands". Judges 15:14 And so at the end he pulls down the building; there is power -- the power of God. "He bowed himself with might", it says, "and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people that were therein". Judges 16:30 We see in that the power there is where the element of nazariteship exists. The particular form of opposition at that time was the Philistine element.
Ques. What would answer to it in our own times? You have connected the Philistines with men of great ability.
J.T. I suppose the past hundred years has developed men of extraordinary ability, and nothing but nazariteship could have met it. The secret of what we are enjoying, I believe, is due to the fact that there were those who took up nazariteship, and the Spirit of God came mightily upon them and the Philistines came down.
P.L. At the end of 2 Timothy, it is a question of
the man of God or magicians; so here would you say it is a question of the man of God or the Philistine?
J.T. Yes. So Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, but he overthrew them by the evidence of life, the power of life. It is very beautiful to see the return to nazariteship in the smallest way in the beginning of the growth of hair. It is in separation that life is seen. Christians who remain in the organisations around do not really live; there are not the conditions of life. It is in separation you get these conditions -- that the hair begins to grow, and then the power of God is known.
P.L. It says, "Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone ... . Who can count the dust of Jacob?". Numbers 23:10 Is that the vitality of life in separation?
J.T. Quite. Then the next thing is the shout of a king is among them. Israel's king is higher than Agag. There is more there than there is in the flesh. If it is a question of big men, you have them now, men great spiritually.
Philippians 2:12,13; Numbers 10:33 - 36
Ques. What was the thought you had before you?
J.T. Well; that divine help appears as the saints are themselves moving. In Philippians the injunction is to work out our own salvation; then immediately "it is God which worketh in you". Of course there could be no movement on our side save as God begins first, but this passage and many others like it, especially Numbers 10, show that divine help appears as the saints are moving. It will be observed that it was as they set forward that the ark went before them. "And they set forward", Numbers 10:33.
Ques. Do you mean that as we take up and act upon light already given, God comes in for us?
J.T. That is what I thought. The history of the Philippian saints furnishes abundant evidence of the divine intervention as there is movement according to light already given. The apostle and his associates could have no doubt as to divine guidance -- in Numbers 10 the prominent feature is that, divine guidance -- they could have no doubt as to divine guidance in reaching Philippi, but the hand of God is not there immediately. Nevertheless they were moving. They did not sit down and wait for it. They went out to the riverside and sat down there, not to look at the river or the scenery but they talked to the women that assembled there for prayer, and then the work of God shows itself. The heart of Lydia is opened, and later, in the jailor we see remarkable testimony to the divine intervention as we are moving in relation to light already furnished. The Philippians would thus understand that as they worked out their own salvation -- something that was peculiarly their obligation -- God worked in them. "It is God which worketh in you". So Numbers 10 furnishes wonderful
guidance, for it is in the movement -- not a word is said about the ark going before them in all the instruction -- it is in the movement that that appears.
Rem. That was a distinct and new thing that had not been given before.
J.T. You never can tell; love reserves the right of its own movements. It is never restricted by its own laws. The early part of the book furnishes abundant instruction as to how they are to move, but there is nothing of this; that is, divine love would reserve the right to come in, and then it gives you the opportunity to move first.
Ques. "Even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence". Does the apostle set forth there the light having been brought in?
J.T. They had abundance of light as in Numbers, but we may have that and not move. The word should be translated, 'set forward' -- not 'departed'. They did 'depart', of course, but the point is not that they were leaving somewhere, but going somewhere, and it is in that movement that the ark comes in. It is in the movement that love comes in, perhaps in a way we have not looked for.
Ques. How would you link this up with the previous part of the chapter, where the movements are regulated by the silver trumpets?
J.T. I suppose the trumpets refer to the testimony as conveying the rights of Christ over us, would you think, in redemption? He has a right to speak and no one should turn a deaf ear, because it is one that loves us. Silver would refer to that. It is one beaten piece, meaning that it is one medium conveying the Lord's mind, first in calling us together, as it says, "They shall serve for the calling together of the assembly" Numbers 10:2 unto Moses at the door of the tent of meeting. Then they are for the calling together of the princes, the heads of the tribes. I suppose the
trumpets are to regulate us in regard of Christ's authority over us. First, I think, it is the whole congregation (verse 3), then the princes; then the alarm was for the setting forward. It was thus clearly the testimony to the Lord's rights over us generally. They were to assemble to Him, and then those special representatives -- the heads of the tribes -- then the alarm for the setting forward. There is the idea of gathering, whether it be the whole congregation or the princes. Then there is the idea of setting forward, first east, then south, meaning that the work of God is taken into account. It is in the east and in the south that they are to move. There is much involved in it.
Ques. Is your thought that this is a more intimate leading?
J.T. I thought that the whole chapter enters into this. The ministry of the trumpets refers to priestly discernment -- some testimony in the way of ministry that reminds us of the Lord's rights over us. Then we are told that they moved according to the prescribed arrangement, and then Moses says to Hobab, "We are journeying to the place of which Jehovah said, I will give it unto you; come with us, and we will do thee good ... and he said, I will not go And they set forward ... and the ark ... went before them". Numbers 10:29 - 33 They are moving without Hobab.
Evidently they are able to move without the natural thing that Hobab would imply. The ark takes his place -- a better guide. There is no thought in Hobab's mind of sacrificing to help Moses. We can never trust nature in these matters, however kindly disposed. Love is sacrifice. That is what I think is meant in the ark acting thus without any previous announcement of it. That is to say, love will never fail the saints of God. We may seem to be lacking leadership or weakened by some circumstance, but love will never fail, whatever else fails.
Ques. What do you understand by the three days' journey?
J.T. I think it shows that they were ready to go the whole road. "They set forward from the mountain of Jehovah and went three days' journey". The question that arises in the mind is, How far are you ready to go in the testimony? Some are not ready to go very far. Many break bread without the slightest thought of going beyond that. They break bread and they are known in that relation, but that is a poor thing. That is not fellowship with the death of Christ. The fellowship of the death of Christ means that I have to go somewhere. Then there is the fellowship of His Son. Think of the glorious dignity of it -- Jesus Christ our Lord. It is the fellowship of His death in 1 Corinthians 10, and the fellowship of the Spirit in the second epistle. So the question is, How far am I ready to go? Here they credit the thing. They went three days' journey. If you take that road, you find the company of divine love in it.
Ques. Is that why it is spoken of as "the ark of the covenant"? Up to this point it is the "ark of the testimony".
J.T. That is very interesting. It would be what God is to us.
Ques. What do you understand is involved in the movement of the people? What is it for us?
J.T. It is spiritual with us. Some of us were noticing that in the Scriptures the truth of the house of God appears in connection with journeying. It appears first in the history of Jacob when he was on a journey. Then twenty years later he is still on a journey; he is going to Hebron -- to Isaac. When he returns to Bethel God comes down and speaks to him in Bethel. He is still journeying. That is to say, the house and all that enters into it is to aid us in our journeying. We are on the road to the eternal
purpose of God; that is the point. It is the positive thing. It is not simply that they departed from some place, but that they were going to some place.
Ques. Do you get this in Paul himself, letting everything go that the flesh could rejoice in on account of Christ -- reckoning it to be loss? Is that the taking of the three days' journey? Then to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings -- is that the affinity between the people and the ark?
J.T. Quite. He says, "Not as though I had already attained". Philippians 3:12 He was on a journey.
Ques. In Genesis 22 in regard of Abraham, the same expression is used. Abraham took three days' journey and it was on the third day that he saw the place afar off. Would these two scriptures bear on each other?
J.T. They do. The three days' journey involves death and resurrection.
Ques. The Lord in Matthew 15 has compassion on the multitude because they were with Him three days. Then the feeding of the multitude follows. Is that the same principle?
J.T. I think so; it is the general thought, representing complete exercise. As we were saying in regard of the house, Jacob, after a most blessed experience typically in the house (Jehovah coming down and standing by and speaking with him) journeys, and in the journeying Rachel dies -- a sorrowful thing. Rebecca's nurse had died just as he had reached Bethel. Nature's ties were thus broken up. We are thus helped in the main thought -- that is, to reach Isaac in Hebron where, it is said, Abraham sojourned and Isaac sojourned. We get the identification of Hebron; it was given there so that we might understand what the thing means spiritually, and so in the end of Exodus, the setting up of the tabernacle, which is a type of the house, is
marked by active service. As the various features are set up, what they are intended to convey is actually there. The table is there and the loaves are on it; the candlestick is there and the lamps are lighted; the altar is there and the sacrifices have been offered upon it; the laver is there, and Moses and Aaron have washed their hands and feet in it. That is the house as a living thing. You are already living and moving in the thing. Then it says, the glory entered and the cloud was upon it and the people journeyed according to the cloud. It was journeying so that in these circumstances as we accept that it is a living order of things, if this movement is on, love will show itself in unexpected ways. We shall find what love can do. It is love's opportunity; it delights to serve.
Ques. So that at the beginning of Acts 1 we get a living order of things marked by prayer. Then does the glory come in in chapter 2?
J.T. Yes; they do not sit down in the upper room and await the promise. The Lord had said, "Await the promise of the Father, which ... ye have heard of me". Acts 1:4. But they were active according to the exigencies of the moment, showing that principle, that there is always something you can move on in. You do not sit still and fold your hands as in Haggai. There the people were saying, 'This is not the time to build', but it was the time. Jehovah says, 'If you begin to build, I will help you'.
Ques. Was there building at the riverside?
J.T. That is the principle; there was something going on. It was the place where prayer was wont to be made. That was the idea; the idea is that I identify myself with that. That was where God showed Himself.
Rem. We are liable to be satisfied with a settled order of things -- things are duly carried out in order without the living power of it.
J.T. Whereas everything that is mentioned -- the mind of God conveyed in it -- is there in an active way.
Rem. It is to be realised now in spite of the weakness of things.
J.T. There is always something, however weak.
Ques. "Work out your own salvation" refers to a local company. Is that the thought?
J.T. That is the thing. We see how love will show itself. It will show itself in some correspondence with Christ. The previous paragraph of this chapter shows what marked Christ, "Being in the form of God ... took upon him the form of a servant". Philippians 2:6,7. It was a downward thing. That is how God worked in keeping with the three days. So we are to "do all things without murmurings and disputings" Philippians 2:14 that we "may be blameless and harmless ... holding forth the word of life", and so forth. Then he goes on, "If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all". Philippians 2:17 It was not a question of calling on the gifts, but what was within the range of them all. Things were to be done in that way. "Do all things without murmurings and reasonings; that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God". Philippians 2:15.
Rem. It is like the Lord, "holy, harmless, undefiled". Hebrews 7:26.
J.T. Just so. Certainly God is not working in worldliness; that is not His way. Christ was not worldly; when He was reviled He reviled not again; when He suffered He threatened not. Love shows itself in these things. So Paul brings in Timotheus and Epaphroditus in this chapter to show the kind of way in which the work of God proceeds -- how love moves. God works through mediums; He takes up this and that one and works in that way.
Rem. The Philippian company is the only company that goes on with Paul to the end, of all the
assemblies to whom the epistles were written. You were speaking of love in an evil day continuing to the end.
J.T. The whole point of ministry is to bring us into accord with Christ, to accept His sufferings -- the ark went before. The history of the Philippian assembly shows how the ark was reflected -- the spirit of it in the apostle. See what sufferings he endured -- how love wrought in such a vessel. If we had more vessels in accord with the work, we should have more evidence of divine love, because love must work in a vessel. Therefore the question is, Can I be that? The epistle to the Philippians would bring that about, for we see it for example in a man like Epaphroditus who was grieved because they had heard that he had been sick.
Rem. It is very encouraging in that way for Epaphroditus was an ordinary kind of brother. In one sense he was an extraordinary one, but he was not a great servant like Paul or Timothy. It is open to each one of us.
J.T. So that each one of us may become a vessel of love.
Ques. Is there correspondence with David's three mighty men here? Do they bring the water to David in this chapter?
J.T. Quite so. "We ought to lay down our lives". 1 John 3:16 The point is love; It is the most practical thing in the history of christianity.
Rem. This is the first experience that Israel has with the ark.
J.T. Yes; the ark is now moving. It is objective; they could see it. Love says, Now that I see you move, I will move.
Ques. Does Romans give the spring to set us in movement?
J.T. One of the great features of Romans is to bring out a vessel for love. If love is in a vessel then you can see what love will do.
Ques. Do you regard each one at the end of Romans as one of those vessels, exemplifying the movements of love?
J.T. Exactly; the Spirit of God would call attention to certain persons -- not in the east, though they had been there, but they are now at Rome -- persons who were evidences of this great principle of love.
Rem. One feels thankful that our attention is being called to this. It has been a burden that each of us might be marked by movement. It is easy to become stagnant.
J.T. So that John says, "Hereby we have known love". That is the first thing -- "because he has laid down his life for us". 1 John 3:16 That is the idea of the ark going before. "And we ought for the brethren to lay down our lives". 1 John 3:16 We can do that.
Ques. Would you say a word about the resting place? It says the ark went before them to seek out a resting place. Although they were taking a journey there was a resting place in view.
J.T. I think that is in resurrection -- that it may be reached on the way. They would thus have a testimony in every movement of the ark to what they were finally to come to. The Lord in John 13 shows what He is at. He would teach us how to serve in love. It is the service of love. Hence, you see, the Lord laid aside His garments and girded Himself with a towel, and poured water into a washhand-basin -- a small portable basin. You do not ask the objects of your affection to come to you; you go to them with the thing. It is portable, and so He goes around and washes their feet. They do not have to move at all. So it says, "He comes therefore to Simon Peter". John 13:6. That is the idea -- that one becomes
a vessel so that love can act through one. Then the Lord having done all that sits down and says, 'Now, you see what I have done'. It is an object lesson that I should be taught how to love.
Ques. Is this movement of love included in the first word at Philippi: "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house"? Acts 16:31.
J.T. What you see in that man is that he began to move immediately. He did not fold his hands; he began to move. He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and set meat before them. Then he was baptised and all his.
Rem. Salvation was not a stationary condition; it alluded to activity.
J.T. That is the point exactly.
Ques. It says, "Work out your own salvation". Philippians 2:12. Does that suggest that the material was there amongst them -- Paul having been there?
J.T. Yes; they were thoroughly furnished.
Ques. Are we not slow in realising that where Paul has been, there has been left material to be worked out?
J.T. Quite; you have all the light and all the furnishing, and as you work things out you find that love can do for you more than you expect. Wisdom is love acting wisely; love will never make a mistake. Thus you have in these journeys witness of what God is about to bring us into, because to reach the resting place you need the action of love. We may make a move towards it; for instance, we come together to break bread. There is the furnishing -- all the external things -- and God takes account of that, but it only makes room for love. The ark is the principle of love; it brings us to the resting place.
Rem. It is not the end, but the means to the end.
J.T. Exactly; God brings us to His dwelling. He does that. So here they have these celebrations.
They would become accustomed to things. It says, "It came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered ... and when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel". These things were forming the people of God; they were becoming accustomed to victory and the results of victory. We are not therefore a defeated people; we are accustomed to victory in the assembly.
Ques. Does the fact that the cloud overshadowed them when they moved, suggest the care God took?
J.T. That is God's own action; they had nothing to do with that. So that verse 34 says, "And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp". That is to honour you. That is the point here; it is the setting forward.
Ques. Would it not be the sense of God's presence?
J.T. Yes; God honouring us. That is there as we meet together in the sense of God's protection, but it is a distinct thing from the ark, so that every assembly meeting is, rightly apprehended, a means of realised victory.
Ques. I was going to ask if this really involved the whole of the Ephesian position -- in the scope of it.
J.T. I think so; the saints need to be reminded of victory -- consciously brought into the thing. When the ark moved, as it says, Moses says, "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered ... and when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel".
Ques. What do you mean when you say that every assembly meeting is a means of victory?
J.T. You are made to realise the power that wrought in Christ as He went forward. It is "the power of his resurrection" Philippians 3:10 -- the power of it. Then the result of that is the returning -- God coming into the midst of His people, the thousands of Israel.
Ques. Do you mean it is the power of His resurrection
not merely the light of it? There is some effect of it in the soul.
J.T. That is right; the realisation of it as together.
Ques. Does it involve constant conflict?
J.T. We are not in conflict when together, but there is that principle coming in -- a sense of victory. In Matthew 28 the Lord greeted the women who brought the disciples word. He said, "All hail". Matthew 28:9 That is how He met them. The angel had sent them; that is to say, His subordinate sent them. They can take orders from him -- that was the test. "Lo, I have told you", Matthew 28:7 he says. He was one divinely accredited. He had everything about him to indicate that he was accredited. Still, he was not Christ, and I have got to learn to take orders from someone less than Christ. The principle of representation is a very important one in christianity, involving one that represents Christ. That angel had every evidence of one accredited. "Lo, I have told you", he says. Well, they take orders from him and they are on their way to execute the orders when the Lord meets them, as if He would honour you taking orders from a subordinate officer. He says, "All hail". He confirms the message -- the orders -- but instead of saying 'my disciples' He says "my brethren". Matthew 28:10 The women are lifted up to that. He says, "All hail". They are brought into the sense of victory in the movement.
Ques. Is that not seen in 1 Corinthians 15:57, "Thanks to God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ"?
J.T. I am sure it is. That is what the Corinthians were missing on account of their state. It says, "Who gives us the victory".
Rem. What you are suggesting is very encouraging. If on every occasion on which we came together we had the light of victory in our souls, what an elevation we should be lifted up to.
J.T. The Corinthians were low down; some of them were saying that there is no resurrection.
Ques. One of the psalms says, "I will not come into the tabernacle of my house ... until I find out a place for the Lord". Psalm 132:3,5. Then this portion of Numbers is quoted there (verse 8). Is there a connection between this and Psalm 132?
J.T. Well, there it is the final thing. It is David. David prepares the way for the resting place; it is no longer being carried. Here it is not a question of entering into rest, but of rising up. "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered". You are still in the presence of the enemy; he is still to be scattered but there is no doubt in your mind as to it. We go through. We are "raised with him through faith of the working of God". Colossians 2:12 That is, we understand the power.
Rem. Then after that verse in Corinthians it goes on, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord". 1 Corinthians 15:58 You go on with the work.
J.T. Just so, in the light of resurrection.
Ques. Do we get the idea of power in Matthew 18:20? "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them".
J.T. That is right. He is there for support. You are really invulnerable.
Ques. Do we get fresh light in regard of the ark as we go on?
J.T. Every assembly meeting is to give us an increased appreciation of Christ.
Ques. Would it be fresh light when they got to the Jordan?
J.T. The final three days would be the Jordan; that led them into the final resting place. They would be aware as to what they were going on to. But in the meantime we learn what the future is.QUALIFICATION FOR WITNESS
CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
"Through weakness and defeat
He won the meed and crown;
Trod all our foes beneath His feet,
In being trodden down". (Hymn 24)LIGHT
THE MAGNITUDE OF CHRIST AS BECOME MAN
"And Heav'nly light makes all things bright,
Seen in that blissful gaze" (Hymn 12) THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY
"SAYEST THOU THIS THING OF THYSELF ... ?"
SPIRITUAL YOUTHFULNESS
RIGHTEOUSNESS LEARNED
"We look for Thine appearing,
Thy presence here to bless;
We greet the day that's nearing,
When all this woe shall cease". (Hymn 200) SPIRITUAL FEATURES SEEN IN SAMSON
HOW DIVINE HELP COMES IN AS WE MOVE IN ANSWER TO THE LIGHT