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Exodus.
Access Chapter 15.
And verse 23 And when they came tomorrow, they could not drink to the waters tomorrow, for they were adventures. Therefore the name of it was called Laura. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord. And the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
And then verse 27 and they came to Elam, where were 12 wells of water and three score and 10 palm trees, and they encamped there by the waters. Let's pray our God and our Father, as we pause this morning to open up Thy word and just do spray for a blessing. We just do thank Thee that the bitter waters may be made sweet by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that has brought us into blessing. We just do thank Thee that Thou has given us a place to encamp also.
And to rest thy love and to be nourished. And we just do pray for encouragement here this evening.
This evening, this morning, that's just provide for each one of us that we might say that it's been well for us to have been here. In my name we can thanks Lord Jesus, Amen. Amen.
00:05:19
Connection with the Himalayas. Some of the sick mother have 115.
I would like to suggest we go on one more meeting on chapter two of First Corinthians.
I think that would be very nice too. Where should we start?
Verse 6.
First Corinthians chapter 2, beginning of verse 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the Princess of this world that come to nought. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of the Princess of this world knew, for he had. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loved him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yeah, the deep things of God. For what may knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man, which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of man, of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God.
That we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, Which things also we speak not in the words which means wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord?
That he may instruct him. But we have the mind of Christ.
I was thinking here in connection with the word wisdom here in our passage. We spoke quite a lot about it yesterday, but it might be helpful for us to note the the context in the Apostles argument here.
Really, the wisdom of God has been completely.
Demonstrated now through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, and I think it's important to see that.
Mystery was something that was not revealed in former dispensations, but now in Christianity we have the complete revelation.
Of the mind of God.
Through the work of Christ as to God's counsels and God's purposes in relation to the believer, the church, the establishment of the Kingdom, and so on, the heavenly calling. All this is the wisdom of God and it was largely unfolded through the ministry of the apostle Paul, which to a great extent is refused and christened today. I was just thinking of brethren, that those that are mature.
Doesn't mean without sin here, but I think it refers to a believer who is mature in the things of God. These wondrous truths are unfolded to us. The very heart of God has been revealed and I know that verse nine is often applied to us in a future sense that we don't realize the blessedness of being forever with Christ. I have no objection to that. But really verse 9 brings before us the truth that these things.
Can be comprehended by us now, or apprehended by us at the present time.
That God's mind has been revealed and the councils and the plan of God has been unfolded to us and He would have us to enter into it, to enjoy it, to understand the purpose and the a plan of God for the church and for this whole universe. I think the wisdom of God would include that. Am I right there, brethren?
00:10:29
Yes.
Is it connected? Isn't it primarily with the crucifixion of the Lord of Glory?
We have that in the first chapter. This is how God's wisdom is manifested. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to them, not perish.
Of the crucifixion of the Lord of glory, because the men of this world knew not the wisdom of God. This is the wisdom of God, the crucifixion of the Lord of Lords and all that ensues from it to us. But this is the beginning, the center, the fullness of it is the crucifixion of the Lord of glory.
And I would suggest that that is the starting point of it, and it's what the apostle brings before us here. But the wisdom of God ultimately includes, doesn't it, all His purposes concerning His beloved Son. That's why it says here that it was ordained in verse 7 before the world unto our glory. We know this well. But it bears repeating that long before this world was made, God had purpose to, as we get in Ephesians one and 10, to head up all things in Christ.
Things which are in heaven and on earth, even in Him. And more than that, He purposed to bring you and me into blessing with Him.
And chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. The cross is the basis of all of that. And as we said yesterday, all of that runs totally contrary to the wisdom of man. And it isn't that there wasn't a wisdom of God-given to this world before Paul's ministry. Man had the witness of creation. And we see the wisdom of God in the wonderful works that he has done in creation. But how much more? How much greater?
How much more wonderful the wisdom that has been brought out in Christ coming into this world. How much more wonderful the wisdom of God in bringing lost sinners into blessing, and yet not sacrificing any part of His holy nature. How much more wonderful that He associates us with His beloved Son in all his counsels concerning him. And so that is the mystery, the secret that was committed to Paul, isn't it? And he is so anxious, so careful that these beloved Saints would get hold of that.
But if they try to arrive at it through man's wisdom, or try to mix man's wisdom up with it, it only spoiled it, didn't it?
It couldn't come out until the work of the cross had been finished. It speaks about wisdom in Proverbs 8, and it says, among other things, my delights were with the sons of men. God had that plan back in the past eternity, but it couldn't be revealed until the Lord Jesus came right on the cross, set us apart, redeemed us, sent the Spirit of God down to dwell with us, to enable us to enter into these things. Now the whole counsels of God can become out and be made known to us. We can enter into it and appreciate it.
Through Christ he is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. With that is established, then there's a basis for fellowship with God and to enter into these. So these are the perfect ones that Paul speaks to. Even though the Corinthians were acting carnal, they were born again, Christians among them. And these have the capacity to enter into these things. And so he he writes to them in that way. But if we're walking carnally.
Then we're seeking these things.
In our own ways that we can't.
Will never arrive, we'll never get to it. God tried man 4000 years and that way.
And that they, those who were the most religious, who had, were those who crucified the Lord Jesus. They were.
Exactly on the wrong side.
What you say, brother talk and what brother John said about the ninth verse is confirmed if we read it in the Old Testament where it comes from, because it says that here. It says for them that their chapter.
Old revelation coming out says.
But as it is written, I have not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man that things which God prepared for them that loved him, where that's extracted from the old quote from the Old Testament, that they just wait for him. The waiting was over. Christ had come and done his work.
That's in Isaiah 64, I believe.
00:15:01
64 and four.
Since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither have the eye seen, O God, besides to eat what He has prepared for Him and waited for Him.
What does that mean? That it's referring to the eye and to the ear and to the heart?
And the eye for seeing, the ear for hearing, the heart for affections that naturally.
The understanding of these things cannot be received in a natural way. The eye.
Hath not seen.
Or the north ear heard well I'm going to know the mind of God in in connection with the his divine councils connection with Christ is the head of the church.
And my place in the body of Christ. All of these things are only revealed in communion with the Lord Himself. Is that really what is being brought out here?
That's a question.
It means that the natural man isn't capable of thinking it up or knowing it.
But the only way he can know it is if God reveals it to him. And so he says in the next verse, But God hath revealed.
And so the natural man isn't a creature capable of conceiving in himself the purposes and plans and will of God, but God has chosen to make himself known to his creature. But he didn't fully make himself known, as Doug spoke of, until the cross.
When the work was accomplished, which was the foundation on which God's purposes would rest in their accomplishment? It says in Acts 15, known unto God are his works from eternity. And so it's interesting God never learns anything. He never discovers anything. God knows and has known from eternity everything. I lift my finger that action was known of God forever.
He didn't just discover I was going to lift my finger, but he knew.
Before this world ever existed, at this moment in time, at this occasion, that finger would be lifted, known unto God or all His works from eternity. But God's time to make them known to His creature, man was according to his own will when he would do it. And man, until that time came, would never conceive it according to his natural heart. And when the time came to reveal it, it's only revealed.
To the Newman, it's only revealed to the believer.
Who has new life? And then it's revealed to him by the power of the Spirit of God working in him. And so if God didn't work on a man by the Spirit, even now the natural man can't understand the purposes and counsels of God. He's incapable of it. We who sit in this room, who are the Lords, God reveals it to us by the Spirit, and we enjoy it as God's children.
Find a spirit through his word. I'm just going to read the first verses of John's epistle. That which we had was from the beginning, which we have heard.
Which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon on our hands, handled of the word of life. For the life was manifest, and we have seen it and bear witness and show you that eternal life which was with the Father manifested unto us. The Spirit takes the Word of God and those that were witnesses to it, and that's how He makes it good to our souls.
Important too, to recognize though, in the verse that you just quoted, it's the living Word. We sometimes limit our thoughts about it as if it was simply these words on a page in a book that is involved, but it is. It is that it's words on a page in a book. But the book we have in our hand isn't just a book. It is the living Word of God. It is a word which gives life. Every one of us in this room who have life with God, who have been born again, have received that life by word which is living and made good to us by the power of the Spirit of God.
We're composed of a body, a soul, and a spirit, and God communicates to us through all that we are, it says in first John 5. His Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, witnesses to what our minds know, to our spirit, that we are the children of God in the Old Testament, in the coming day, in Ezekiel when God's people are regathered into their land.
00:20:12
They didn't keep the law of Moses before and they'll be in a new covenant relationship with God. But still what was in the law was right. And so he says, I will write my laws in their minds. No, in their hearts. And so our relationship with God is this word that's in in our hands is is living. It's not just words on paper. It's living and it has a power given of God.
To actually bring life to us, spiritual life and God takes and speaks to our souls by the Spirit.
As it says a little later, communicating spiritual things by spiritual means. And so we want to be sure that we don't take these things up and limit it to the way man looks at things and he thinks, well, my mind is the thing that I understand with. We're not talking about things here that are just limited to what the mind can understand. God has given us the very life of Christ, that when Christ feels something, we have a life that can feel it the same way.
When the Lord Jesus looks at his soul and loves them, it's what He is in His heart and His being.
And when he gives you life, his own life, and you look at that soul, you have the capacity to love him in the same way.
You didn't have it before, but now you do. And so it's important for us to recognize the truth that Paul's bringing before us is a living thing. It's a living thing. It's our whole being in relationship to God.
Thinking also that for the young people, it might be valuable to note a few points about the Spirit of God, because there's a tremendous amount of confusion out in Christendom on this subject. The fear of God is a divine person. First of all, it's not an influence. And although the Spirit of God worked in Old Testament times as we know it, came upon serving persons and used them like Samson, and even came upon unsaved people like Saul, but he never.
Abode in the in the believer in the Old Testament.
But now since Pentecost, fear of God has descended, sent from Christ, sent by the Father. Now he has formed the body of Christ. I know that does is not the subject here, but he has formed the body of Christ, a new Organism that never existed before. And we've been united by the Spirit of God to an exalted man in the glory to Christ in in heaven. 1 body, but also he indwells the believer.
That was never known in Old Testament times. It will not be known after the church is raptured. There will be no indwelling of the Spirit of God in the tribulation period for the remnant or in the Millennium. But now this is a peculiar characteristic of Christianity, living man in the glory, one thing, and the Spirit of God abiding in the church collectively and in individual believers. So that brings a responsibility before us. How are we walking? Are we breathing?
Grieving the Holy Spirit of God.
If so, we're not going to understand the wisdom of God that is brought before us here. We're not going to apprehend these things or grow spiritually. If that divine guest is grieved within us, grieved not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. He will never leave us, so don't grieve him. And this is important. I'm sure that our brethren would agree that the Spirit of God must not be hindered in His operation electively in the assembly.
But also individually in our lives are we walking in self judgment so that we might enjoy these precious things that have been revealed to us by the Spirit of God?
We see the apostle is actually building up to just that, isn't it? Because in the following chapters he emphasized that about how the Spirit of God actually indwelled. In fact, if we go further down, glance down to the next chapter in verse 16, he started off with a very interesting way of starting off with a phrase. He started off by saying, know ye not as if sometimes as young people we talk that way, don't we? When we think someone should really know about something, we'll say, well, you should know this. Don't you know this? Well, that's exactly how it's worded here. Know ye not.
And I think we should pay attention to it that do we really know this? The verse says, know ye not that ye are.
The temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Oh, what a question.
So here do we know that now here in this case, I believe it's referring to the assembly as a whole that the Holy Spirit dwells in the assembly that we were to go down further to chapter 6 verse 15, we'll find as our brother referring to dwelling in US in chapter 6 verse 15. Notice the question. Notice these the verse begin, but the question again, know ye not know ye not that your bodies are the other members of Christ.
00:25:26
Then I'm sorry, in verse 19, what know ye nod that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not of your own, for ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are gods. We're no longer ours and we have that Holy Spirit dwelling in US and that's what's teaching us. That's what's helping us, isn't it, to understand.
So here now chapter we find as it was mentioned yesterday, it's we find that there is the preparation in a sent by God that we have in verse nine and then the revelation of wisdom through the Spirit of God that teach us how we are to walk.
And justice to make this practical too. Whenever we get the Spirit of God brought in, well, I better not. That's a pretty sweeping statement. But generally when we get the Spirit of God brought in, it is not only intelligence in the things of God, it's enjoyment. Enjoyment. Man, prior to the coming down of the Spirit of God was not intelligent in the same way. Look at the disciples, how difficult they found it.
When the Lord Jesus told them what we would consider to be fundamental things, and over and over again he would tell them things and they couldn't get it clear. But what a difference after the day of Pentecost. What a difference when Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost and preaches pulling scriptures out of the Old Testament, tying them together and bringing out clearly the whole force of the gospel. What made the difference? The Spirit of God. But it's also intended for our enjoyment. And So what we have here in this chapter, I believe.
Among other things, of course, is Paul saying to these Corinthians, and ultimately to us too, you cannot enjoy the things of Christ if you are trying to go at it with the natural mind. It won't work. It seems totally opposite to the natural mind. But God says now I've given you my spirit and now you can enjoy those things. The wonderful expression here in this chapter, the Spirit searcheth, as it says in verse 10, all things, yeah, the deep things of God.
Every husband and wife here knows what it is to enjoy the deep things of one another, things that no one else perhaps knows about, things that have to do with the the other ones being that no one else knows about. Things that you can share together that no one else does. God says, I want to share those with you, I want you to enjoy them. And in order that you can do that, I am sending down a person of the Godhead to indwell, as we've heard, not only every true believer individually, but to dwell collectively among believers as the House of God in order that you can enjoy them.
So as our brother Dawn remarked, yes, it is true, we will enjoy these things in a wonderful way in eternity. God says you don't have to wait till then. It's not a question of yes, those wonderful things will be yours in heaven. I want you to have them and enjoy them now.
My brother read this morning about Peter's comments on the amount of transfiguration where Peter said it is good for us to be here. I believe that was Peter's assessment of the situation. But God had the Lord was going to show him a better thing than enjoying a Kingdom here on earth. And so a cloud comes and overshadows the scene, and there's an excellent glory there. That's a picture of what is our portion. That's the heavenly glory in association with Christ as one body.
Taken up there to dwell with the Lord Jesus in glory. That's real fellowship. That's the place that God has called us to. That's the wisdom of God bringing a people here on earth to that. When Cain slew his brother, he thought he got rid of his brother Abel. But Abel still speaks in resurrection, and in resurrection he's going to enter into that glory. We too. And so you have to go to the cross by the way of the cross to get there. In that sense, death and resurrection with Christ.
And so that excellent glory here is, this is part of what this mystery here Paul is unfolding brings us into fellowship. And they saw no man save Jesus only. And that's where we're brought now.
00:30:00
Maybe we could turn to John 3 to go back to Brother Dawn's comments referred to Ezekiel about the replacing of the Stony heart of the heart of flesh, the work of the Spirit of God, because it even precedes the indwelling of the Spirit of God. And this interview that the Lord had with Nicodemus, verse three of chapter 3. And Jesus answered, he said on him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except the man, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Verse five And Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, You must be born again. And so he said to Nicodemus, Holy art thou master of Israel, and knoweth not these things.
That there had to be a work of the Spirit of God for him to even understand, to even see these things, to be able to enter into them. And so we get this in Peter's epistle, the 1St chapter, we see the brother spoke of God knowing even the lifting of our finger, but.
First Peter chapter one and verse 2.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. So there was a work of the Spirit of God in my dead soul and yours.
That allowed us to lay hold of the truth of God, because it could not be apprehended by natural means.
I believe the Corinthians were in danger of losing this blessing.
Independence on the Holy Spirit.
By things that they were doing there they were seeing men in the first chapter. You know it was yesterday they were looking at a Paul and appalled as I'm off Cephas and so on. That's the danger I believe that and Paul saw with them setting aside you might say they leading up the Holy Spirit. They're now seeing men and whether it be their oratory skills or certain line of doctrine or certain manner of speaking. Whatever it was, it was effective to the and that's the danger we all have. Have we set men up instead of the Spirit of God.
That's why, Paul, I believe in this chapter we began yesterday says it and from the first person when I came on to you.
I came not with Excellency of speech brought wisdom because we have that tendency to look towards those things, those we might call it gifts or whatever natural things that we just appeal to us. But it's the spiritual things. Whereas in our chapter that brought out it's the spiritual things. And they were in danger of losing that because they were getting away from that and looking at men, informing groups as it were under these different ones. And that's a grave danger.
Make a few remarks and more on the Spirit from John's Gospel chapter 16.
John's Gospel chapter 16 and verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. If I go not away, the Comforter, that's the Holy Spirit will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Verse 13. How be it been? He, the Spirit of truth has come. He will guide you into all truth, where He will not speak of Himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he shall show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine, therefore said I, that He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
The Spirit of God.
And coming into the world to dwell in us guides us into truth.
Man's truth tends to glorify. That is what man calls. Truth tends to glorify man, and a man that has it tends to be proud about it because he knows something or he can communicate something that he's discovered that others have it.
But the Spirit of God guides us, if we're submissive to it, into truth in such a way that it glorifies the person of the Lord Jesus and makes nothing of us. And so we get to enjoy truth without the side effects which are bad of pride and self exaltation. Also, the spirit of truth that is in US is that which undertakes for us to know when we're hearing truth.
When people talk about things.
Like Violet at the crucifixion, he said what's truth? And if you get into a discussion with people about supposedly some matter and what's the truth of the matter, there'll be opinion involved in it. I think this is the truth. No, I think that is the truth. No, I think something else is the truth. And each man, according to his own judgment, will have his belief in what in the matter in question is actually true or truth.
00:35:13
But it's wonderful when we sit here this morning and statements are being made by this brother. And that brother, the Spirit of God in you is going to confirm in your soul if what you're hearing is truth. And if two different brothers say two different things and one doesn't agree with the other, the Spirit of God is not going to affirm in your soul the one who says something that's incorrect. But the Spirit of God will confirm in you that which is truly of the Spirit.
So we don't need to fight over truth. We shouldn't ever. But in the same way, when a brother says something of God, he doesn't need to, as it were, try to convince biologic or reason or persuasion that he said the right thing and his brother said the wrong. The one that does that work for all of us is the Spirit of God.
When the Spirit brings us into the true knowledge of glorifying Christ in our souls, it produces, as Bill said, joy. And so the work of the Spirit brings the joy to the heart and saw when the Lord Jesus is presented to our hearts in a way that honors God, the Spirit of God takes that and this doesn't make it. Oh, I learned a new fact which might be true in itself, but four more importantly, it brings produces a joy in the heart that is of God.
And honors and exalts the son and something else very important are many things. But another thing very important is.
The Spirit of God is the power of our Christian life. The Word of God gives us the revelation of the mind of God, the life that we have, the life of Christ gives us the desire to please God, but it's the Spirit of God that gives us the power to do it. It's not in ourselves. It is in that spirit that dwells in us, that energizes properly the Christian life, the new life in itself. And so God has made every provision for us to walk in communion with himself in the Lord Jesus. That it's expedient for me to go away because.
If I didn't, I'd looked after your every need. But now that I go away, the Spirit of God has come, will come and he will dwell in you and he will provide all these, if you will, services, comforter position. He will look after everything that you need to enjoy, to honor, to know, to walk in the truth of God.
We haven't commented much on verse 8.
But it just bears out what was being said earlier, namely that the wisdom of man is directly opposite to God's wisdom.
And we might take this verse it says which none referring to the hidden wisdom in verse 7, which none of the Princess of this world knew or had they known that they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. We might take that to say, well, if only man had understood, if only man had realized what he was doing, he wouldn't have done it. And we're thankful for what the Lord Jesus said as they were crucifying him. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. But I suggest that the real meaning of this verse is.
That if man had realized what God's purposes were and the largeness of blessing that was going to result from the work of Christ.
The wonderful things that were going to come to you and me. And ultimately, of course, prior to that, God's purposes in Christ. I say again, if man had realized that his natural heart would have been so contrary and his will would have been so much against God that he would said, well, if that's what's going to happen, then I won't do it. Just if possible to frustrate and thwart the purposes of God. And so it's a terrible commentary, isn't it, on our own natural hearts because before being saved.
That's where we were, that's where our hearts were, and we need to realize that ultimately that is the attitude and spirit of the world around us. Now, it may be glossed over with nice things, and we're thankful for the measure of interest that we may find in the Word of God. But at the same time, we have to realize that deep down in our natural hearts, there's not only an ignorance of the purposes of God, but a direct willfulness that says, if that's God's purpose, then I will try and go in the other direction if possible.
To thwart and frustrate the purposes of God. So when we realize that, it really puts things in the right perspective, doesn't it? It shows us exactly where man's wisdom takes him, and it shows us where man lies in his natural state with reference to the purposes of God.
So it says, if any man will to do his will, he shall know the doctrine. And so if there is a submissive, willing heart, God makes known what he's doing to that person. When God was about the Lord was about to destroy Sodom, he said to his companions.
00:40:17
As it were, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I'm about to do?
Abraham was a friend of God and friend Cher, and so he had a purpose with respect to that wicked city. But as it were in his own heart, he wouldn't carry it out without first telling Abraham.
And Abraham then intercedes and God as far as his faith will go. And the Lord knew his faith wasn't quite up to the full measure of what he wanted, but the Lord knew what he wanted anyways. He knew that he really wanted the preservation of his nephew Lot. And and the Lord acts and preserves Lot, even though Abraham's faith couldn't quite go that far. But if a man like the Princess of the world are opposed to God in rebellion against him. If there's someone in this room who is in your soul.
Not walking with God? Then you're against him. God won't let you know, but He will take every action of your life and control it to His own honor in such a way that His purposes are carried out in spite of you and even through you. And so we have many instances in the Word of God where God lifts up someone to fulfill His will.
He allowed Judas that place to fulfill his will, and yet at the same time that will was contrary to God, and in the end, the end result for that person is punishment.
Judas is a terrible future, you would say. Pilate, as far as we know, has a terrible future, and so on. And nations have been raised up and will be raised up, and then the Lord will turn around and judge the very ones He uses, because all things serve His will, regardless of who they are and who we are. But the enjoyment of Himself and the knowledge of that will is only for those who, it can be said, willing to do His will.
I'd like to take a moment just to look in the Gospel of John and the 11Th chapter just to illustrate from this passage what her brother Bill and what brother Don have been talking about in connection with the heart of the rulers. In John Chapter 11 and verse 47, you see the chief priests and the Pharisees in a council, and they said, what do we for this man do with many miracles? We let him mess alone. All men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place.
And nation. And so you see what's in their heart, as has been mentioned, is their own exaltation. That's their wisdom. And then it goes on. And it says in verse 49, one of them named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, you know nothing at all, nor consider that as expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And so his thought was, remove Jesus from the scene, take him.
And remove his influence. And yet you see at the same time what's just been spoken about how God worked through this man. This is actually a prophecy. And as we go on, we see here in verse 51 This he spake not of himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation and not for that nation only, but also.
But that also he should gather together and 1:00 the children of God that were scattered abroad. And so you see in his wisdom he would take Jesus off the scene so that Jesus would have no more influence in the nation. And yet that very thing is what God and His wisdom used to turn everything around and to bring us the blessing that we enjoy today.
The apostle Paul was an example of one who didn't know the wisdom of God, and he lived his life contrary to God's persecuting Christians. And that's a wonderful thing that God can use ungodly people to accomplish His purposes. They missed the blessing even though they're a mouthpiece for God himself. The Iphus could prophecy here and God could use them. It's a serious thing for us to think to ourselves. We can communicate the things of God and miss the blessing woke to us, and that be so.
How much better to be in the?
Good and enjoyment of these things and walking in the submissive will that brings that about.
Might be valuable to note here that there is no such a thing as a new revelation. Any group that promulgates such an idea is completely contrary to the Word of God. We have the full revelation of God in this book, which we hold in our hands. It doesn't need to be brought up to date.
And there's no further revelation, new doctrines, or.
Slants on the truth and so on. There can be, there can be interpretation and application, but revelation of God that we have is complete. It gives us the full mind of God and there's no further development there in our souls. We should come to a deeper understanding of these things and that is possible and desirable.
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But there's not another unfolding of God's mind at the present time. Is that right, brother?
A prime example of a scripture of somebody who spoke the right words.
But didn't get the blessing is Balaam. A prime example of a person who spoke God's words but didn't get the blessing is Balaam. Balaam spoke, he's called a prophet, and he spoke wonderful words of blessing concerning Israel in the future. But to show the state of Balaam, God speaks to him with a *******. What a contrast that God would have to Balaam was so himself out of communion with God that while he was an instrument of God for communicating, fulfilling the will of God.
When God speaks to him, he's at where he says, well, Balaam, I'll have to talk to you. I'll have to take a **** *** and communicate with you in that way because you don't listen. You're just as stubborn as that *** and you are won't listen. And may the Lord help us not to have to be spoken to by God in that way, that we wouldn't miss the blessing that we would have the words of God, but that they would come by the power of the Spirit.
And be lived out in our lives.
They correct the opposite of that or the right application of that is our verse 13.
Which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual or by spiritual means. Balaam didn't didn't. He was doing it by natural means, wasn't he? And he communicated something, but it was outside the blessing of it.
Any right to say too, as we consider the Scriptures as being the revelation of the mind of God to us. Now, the care we take in, in translating the scriptures, if our minds have the pretension of understanding the mind of God, perhaps we can translate freely what we've understood. But I believe care should be taken for one who's spiritual to translate what is written rather than what is understood. And then we can have a faithful translation through which the Spirit of God can communicate to us the thoughts of God from the Word of God.
Yesterday we quoted the verse. Our brother quoted a verse in Proverbs 30 in regard to wisdom. I'd like to turn to that. Perhaps see if there's a little bit of practical application for us by looking at those passages there on how we ought to walk in order to understand wisdom. Proverbs chapter 30. Now brother read verse three and four. He said, I have neither learned wisdom. Actually, he began with verse two, saying surely I am more British than any man.
And have not the understanding of a man, I neither learn wisdom nor have knowledge of the holy. So and then he raised those questions. Seven questions are raised in verse four. Who had ascended up into heaven or descended? Who have gathered the wind in his first? Who had found the waters in the garment? Who had established all the ends of the earth? What is his name? And what is his Son's name, if thou canst tell? Now our chapter ends by saying we have the mind of Christ.
What a difference compared to this man. But my thought wasn't really on this because we spoke on this yesterday and I know many were not here yesterday, but I'm sure you can go through that with a tape. My my thought is more in verse one. It's a little bit strange to read those names, but let's read that anyway. The words of Agar, the son of Jacqueline, even the prophecy, the man spake unto ethial, even unto ethial and you call.
Doesn't really mean much as we read past these, but if we were to look at the meanings of these names here, it may give us a little bit of a practical way to walk a guard. I believe it means stranger, but I also believe it has another meaning. It means to be gathered together. Now let me go to the meaning 1St and then we'll come back around. Jacob J Cal means obedience.
And itiel means assign or the coming of God, coming of the Lord.
You call means power of.
So if we were to look at this, perhaps we can glean a lesson from it here. S Juan Agard I believe there's another meaning too. I think some believe that that's another name for Solomon, the wisest man. Here's one that would say that he acknowledged that he is a stranger in this land, stranger position. We should be taken tuition with pilgrims and strangers. But he also understand that he needs to understand why he is gathered too. And I suppose we can take that as a lessons too.
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Below we gathers to whose name are we gather to, and how are we to walk as we are gathered to his precious name? And then who are his friends? And so he's the son of Jayco. Jayco means obedience.
The sun up the obedient one and then he speaks to his friends who are his friends. Well, one of his friends reminds him with the name that the Lord's coming is every night. It was assigned to him. Always do we associate ourselves with those who reminded us of the coming of the Lord and then you call power that we serve a powerful and almighty God. We have one. We were reminded who is the head of the body of the church. The one has full power in our lives. The one has full power in the assembly. The one who can take care of everything. As we remind, even lifting of our hands. He recognized that. Now if we can walk with that in mind and then going back to our chapter in first Corinthians, Corinthians chapter 2 and then go back and you remember again that that God has ordained all this.
Wisdom for us and by the way, we go back to verse six, the wisdom that we speak of, you know, we spend a lot of time on this, but here he says how the earth we speak wisdom among them that are perfect. This is not to the world is to the believers. And then now we can go and look at see the wisdom of God that all it is was preordained and that he prepare our hearts, our eyes, our ears, our hearts so that we can serve him. And then it was revealed to us in verse 10 by the Spirit of God. And then in verse 13. That is the inspiration.
Of the Spirit of God that teaches all these, and then the chapter sum it up by saying, because of all this we have the mind of the Lord if we walk in the way we ought to.
Says in verse 13 comparing spiritual things with spiritual, and then in verse 14 he introduces the expression which we had yesterday, the natural man.
And verse 15.
It speaks of being spiritual.
If you go to the first verse of the next chapter, he says to them, and I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, that is unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. So we have the natural, the spiritual and the carnal. And they should have been spiritual and they should have been receptive to receiving spiritual things by the spiritual means that God uses of the Spirit to communicate his truth to them. But Paul says.
I I couldn't do it. I could not communicate all that is in my heart from God for you brethren, because you're not spiritual, you're carnal. And as we had, he was, he's bringing out and this is his burden to his brethren is that he feels limited in what he can communicate to them of the things of God because of their condition as being instead of being spiritual people. They were believers, but they were walking, as he says, not as spiritual but as carnal.
To understand it a little better, go over to Romans chapter 8 and we'll see what that really means.
How God presents that thought of Colonel to us in Romans 8.
Romans 8.
And verse 5 For they that are after the flesh, to mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God. Neither can indeed can be, so that they that are in flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
And so on. This really explains to us what Paul had before him in our chapter. And that is the natural man, because he's sinful and in a sinful condition is carnal and carnality is opposed. It's a mind that is opposed to God. Oh, we might say, well, how could that be in a believer? But if a believer is walking carnally, then they'll lift up themselves and their own thoughts and reason and so on.
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And that opposes God. That's in direct opposition to God's purpose, which is not to exalt the 1St man.
But to exalt Christ and to give him his due place and honor. And so it is an enmity against God. It's opposed to what God is and what God wants from His creature. And so he says to the brethren, Brethren, your state of soul is such that you're walking carnally. You're in. As to the position, they were in spirit, they had received, that is the believers there. They had the Spirit of God and they were in spirit, as Roman Romans 8 presents it. But you can be in spirit. That is, you can have a spirit of God in you and still walk carnally. Any of us can do that.
And so it's important to see in these things that the enjoyment of the truth of God.
Cannot be disconnected with the state of our hearts and souls at any moment in time.
A person May 1 moment, like Peter be given a tremendous revelation from God as to the person of the Christ, and say, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And a few moments later on the same day, within the same hour, have to have the Lord say, Don't get thee behind me, Satan, get thee behind me, Satan. That is the thoughts that were later coming from Peter's heart were not the wonderful revelation of the person of the Christ, but Satan was behind them. And the Lord discerns it and says so to him. And so like Peter, so are we.
We're capable one moment of presenting the most exalted of truth, and the next moment, if we lose communion with the Lord by our willfulness, becoming turning Colonel and losing not only the enjoyment of it, but being a hindrance to others.
Was the apostles who had this these revelations and it's important to.
Emphasize that that these revelations were given to New Testament to prophets, not Old Testament. This is brought out in several scriptures built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Those prophets are not the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament.
Profits. So these revelations were given to the apostles, particularly to Paul, but to others I believe as well. And then not only were the thoughts of God revealed, but we have inspiration. The very words of Scripture are inspired.
So we have the reveal mind of God for this dispensation through the ministry of the apostles and prophets, neither of those guests that we have in the church today, and they have laid the foundation and passed off the scene.
But we do have ministry in the Church of God. We don't don't even have ministry in the Old Testament in the same sense, but we have ministry in the New Testament through the gifts which the ascended Christ has imparted through the Spirit of God to make these things real and to bring us into the enjoyment of them. But we're not going to understand these things if there is not diligence in our lives. And you young people who have sharp minds for.
Intellectual things you should be spending more time.
In the written ministry that is available to you because amongst brethren using that word advisedly, we have the richest ministry of available in any part of Christendom, are we availing ourselves of it? Mr. Darby said. I don't write for lazy readers that I'm one of those lazy readers. There has to be diligence in our lives to search these deep things of God from the Word of God with the helps that.
The gifts that God has given to us would help us and assist us in our.
Understanding of these precious truths.
There's another practical comment to that I think is brought before us in this chapter. We've spoken of the Spirit searching the deep things of God. And as it says in verse 11, what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him, or spirit of man. Even so, the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. And then we have received that spirit, if you and I, as we have heard, want to enjoy Christ.
It is important that we get everything out of the way in order that the Spirit of God can give us that enjoyment. But what is the result of that? According to the last couple of verses of the chapter, spiritual intelligence and guidance from the Lord in our pathway In a practical way, I think Don mentioned a few moments ago that we can't talk about these things, either the intelligence of them or the enjoyment of them, without bringing our state of soul into the picture.
I suppose it's one of the commonest questions that arises among Christians. How can I know the mind of the Lord?
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In a given situation, we're used to the information highway today, aren't we? We're used to be able to going to go to the Internet and plug in whatever we want, get information on just about everything. But if you want to have the mind of the Lord, we must walk with him. We must be intimate. If I could use that expression with the Lord. We must be willing to allow the Spirit of God to minister to us the deep things of God, not just so that I will have an opportunity.
That comes up and can seek guidance, but because I want to enjoy the deep things of God, because I want to enjoy the Lord for all that He has done for me. But then what happens according to verse 15? He that is spiritual judgeth all things. A situation comes up in the world. A situation comes up in my life. I can see everything in the right perspective, but I need guidance in my life. What will I find? I'll find that the Lord will instruct me according to verse 16.
And how wonderful it is to be able to enjoy that relationship with the Lord. Is it possible? Yes, it is. Which one of us would stand up and say yes, and I've arrived there. No, none of us I don't think would say that. But I believe it is possible to have a sense in our souls of what the mind of the Lord is for anything in our pathway, even the smallest decision, and have the confidence that the Lord is with us. Not that we'd go boasting about it or telling someone else about it or anything like that, but having a quiet sense in our souls. This is the mind of the Lord.
And so I say that because these things are intensely practical and intended not only for our enjoyment but also ultimately for guidance in an increasingly complex and difficult world. But the Lord is able to give that to us by the Spirit, isn't he?
Started out by speaking about the Word, and we're speaking about the spirit now. But just to go back to the Word in Hebrews 4:00 and 12:00, we know this verse practically by heart, but the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. So there we have the soul, the spirit and the heart. And we talked earlier about who we are. We know we're spirit, soul and body, and who we are as people, as personalities, perhaps as who we are in our soul.
And before we're saved, we're a soul, but we're spiritually dead. But we've spoken about being spiritually alive and now who we are as people, as persons, as those who enjoy certain things and do certain things with life, spiritual life, by new birth, we're capable of fully enjoying the things of God in our soul and by the spirit. But we can never really determine in ourselves what is spirit and what is soul and what is heart. The only way.
To be clear is to apply the Word of God. How do I know whether I have the mind of the Lord? I really don't. But I know that the Spirit of God working on who I am as spirit and soul and my affections and emotions in the heart, will divide and discern and pinpoint exactly what I need as a man and as a spiritual man. It's only the Word of God by the Spirit that can do that.
Just the connection with that last verse two who had known the mind of the Lord, but we have.
The mind of Christ.
We think of having the thoughts of God, and I'm sure we have access to that by the Spirit of God. But here the Spirit of God uses the word. We have the mind of Christ. This is very specific.
Right, as a man, he only has that title as a man. The apostle said in the second verse, the only thing he wants to know among them was Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Philippians 2 told us that this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. So it's not just a question of knowing things and erection and wisdom. I believe it's character. It's a character of the believer. That's what we're going to be made like when the Lord Jesus comes. We're going to be perfectly like Him as men and He would make us to be now in the understanding by the Spirit of God.
Of who he is and what he's done and what he's brought us into to give us to be similarly minded in our life.
David, in connection with your comment, Glen Buchanan made an interest, asked an interesting question once. He said, if I kick you in the shins, is it the natural man or the final man that responds? Which one hurts? But we know by reading the Scriptures that the Lord was a real man. He had feelings, but of course there was no flesh in him at all. And so it is by going to the Word of God that I can divide between that which is just a natural reaction of a man who's got to hurt chin and a reaction in the flesh. And so you get very much very little of the Lord's reaction in the Gospel to his treatment by men, but very much of His feelings in the Psalms.
But we have the word of God to divide, as you say, between the soul and the spirit.
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We sing #210 Two 110.
One spirit with the Lord's, oh blessed wondrous word, what heavenly light, what power divine, does that sweet word afford 210?
Our God and Father, we just come before Thee this morning, and we thank Thee for this beautiful chapter that we've had before us. We thank Thee for that hidden wisdom that was ordained by the blessed God long before this world was ever created. Be thank me too, that God has prepared it for those of us who love Thee, and Thou hast revealed it unto us by Thy Holy Spirit. We thank thee too, blessed God, that Thou is freely given it to us and has communicated it to us by spiritual means.
Oh, we just pray that these things might reach down into our hearts and consciousness.
And that we might appreciate what we had before us. And we would pray for the remaining meetings. We pray, Lord, to thou just guide by thy Holy Spirit.
And there might be that for the young that can understand and appreciate Lord Jesus, and also for young parents and for those of us who are older. And so we would just thank you for this time being together, and we just commit all to thee and the worthy and precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.