Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
First, Peter chapter one, verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently. The prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them, that signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ.
That should follow, and whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost set down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.
Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts and your ignorance.
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation.
Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
And if you call on the Father, who, without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work past the time of your sojourning here in fear.
For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Father's.
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot.
Who the early was for ordained before the foundation of the world, But it was manifest in these last times for you, who by him to believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.
Seeing ye have purified your souls, and obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren.
See that you love one another with a pure heart, fervently.
Being born again, not of corruptible seeds, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is the flower of grass. The grass Withers, and the flower there fulleth away, but the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. I think it'd be helpful for us to realize.
The difference in the actions and functions of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. And now in the Old Testament there was no such thing as the Holy Spirit being sent down from heaven and virtue of an accomplished redemption. So we do not have in the Old Testament Saints, even Saints indwelt by the Spirit.
Moved by the spirit, yes. And in some cases in the Old Testament the spirit comes upon ungodly man.
Balaam, the Spirit of God came upon him in the 24th of Numbers. The Spirit came upon Saul, and so David, but his son of confession desired that the Spirit be not taken from him. Now we couldn't pray that in the New Testament, because we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise until the day of redemption, we cannot lose the Holy Spirit and now.
God does not give the Holy Spirit in any way or shape or form to unconverted people.
Let me give one question, Scripture. Let's all turn to it. John 7 gives us this thought. John 7.
Verse 37.
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood in pride, saying, If any man thirst that have come unto me and drink, he that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this fakie of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, or the Holy Ghost, was not yet given, because the Jesus was not yet glorified.
So now we're faced with A2 marvelous facts in Christianity.
We're faced with the fact that there's a man in the glory and the consequence of that man being in the glory. The Holy Ghost has come down on earth and indwells individual believers and as we know as as a brother called our attention to the other day formed the church. I mentioned this because it will come into consideration in the verses that we have here the difference between Old Testament revelation and New Testament revelation.
00:05:21
I heard this thought expressed and my comments on it in connection with David expression in his confession. Take not by Holy Spirit from the that the thought was taken off the Spirit of thy holiness from me.
In other words, the fear was, I have committed sin, and there is a danger that I might become accustomed to this and not look with abhorrence upon that sin. And the desire of his heart was perhaps at least as I see it, and I want to be corrected if it's otherwise not that.
I have the Holy Spirit and I don't want it to be taken away from me.
But rather, I have sinned against one who is holy, that I don't want the spirit of holiness to be taken from me. I want always to be aware of that which in my life would be suited to one who is holy. And truth is that something of a thought finds the two thoughts, because God said He would not take His mercy from David.
As he did from Saul, because the Spirit was taken from Saul.
Now, when David says take not the Spirit by spirit of holiness, he's associating with what you said. He's connecting the Holy Spirit with the question of the of the fact he had been unholy. But I really believe as an Old Testament St. He was not sealed with the Spirit and he knew that God had taken the Spirit from Saul and he didn't want that to happen to him. But he calls it the Spirit. It's not the Holy Spirit as a brother called attention, it's the Spirit.
Holiness, because that's what David had violated so grossly.
It is well for us to be reminded that.
The godly remnant of the future.
Is anticipated.
In most all of the songs, I'd like to repeat that.
The future godly remnant is really anticipate.
And the song?
Now notice in this 51St Psalm, I do believe that our brother Albert gave a right thought.
Reimbursed.
10 to 51St Psalm create in the a clean heart.
Now that desire comes from a godly quickened soul.
From an Old Testament.
Say it could be critical, especially be of the future godly remnant who will all have the new nature. Now I'm not saying that they are saved in a Christian sense when I say that they have the new nature.
They actually doesn't put it in this term. They actually are born again for that which is born of a flesh is flesh.
But that which is born of the spirit, the product of the spirits, you know the product and the spirit. That which is born of the spirit is spirit. Now there are two different things. But neither one of those shows in John three, that the person is yet a Christian.
But it shows the nature.
And so the godly remnant has a new nature.
It as new birth.
In all of the household of faith, without exception, ever and always were quick and souls.
And I'll tell you, in the Old Testament, the quicken now me is 16 times the expression of godly ones that were already quickened.
00:10:15
In the sense of revive.
Reviviate.
Lee is the way their desire is expressed. How good?
Military are such in the Old Testament, now in the New Testament.
16 times quickening is used in a different sense.
We looked at.
In the Ephesians 21 and dead.
In trespasses and sins you couldn't. We couldn't be better. We're absolutely dead and helpless altogether helpless.
But.
God sovereignly imparts light to dead souls.
It's all a work of sovereign grace and power in imparting life. That is the commencing of everything but the 1St result of a click and soul.
The 1St result is like in Romans 7.
It looks back upon the history of its life.
And is ashamed of its past history now that shows it has new life. Then it it takes science with God and is ashamed of its own past history. And so the quickening in the New Testament is a work of God's Spirit that imparts life. No, I ought to finish by.
I read again verse 10.
Creating me a clean heart. What a good desire.
Oh God, and renew a right spirit. Now this is the thought of the next verse within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not thy spirit of holiness.
It is not the Holy Spirit at all, We need to get that out of our minds, but it is a state of a quickened soul that has lost its joy of salvation.
And.
It's crying out or they needed help and.
I like to look at Psalm 51 as preceding Inexperienced Song 32.
And of course, Psalm 32 Comes back to 51.
But I mean inexperienced, but in order in numerical order comes first.
Where we see desires in this freshly first song, we see the desires accomplished in the 32nd song. And that's why I say the experience of the 32nd Psalm really is the answer to the desires of Psalm 51, where we're on Psalm 51.
I'd like to ask. This comes in the second book of the Psalms.
Which runs from 42 to 73 I believe and.
Earlier.
My brother spoke about the Kingdom.
Here in our chapter and Peter.
And.
I understand that the second book of the Psalms in particular is directed to the godly remnant in a future day when they're driven out just a little like.
To whom Peter wrote they were dispersed and I wonder if there isn't an application that these varied the these very books we are reading.
Peter especially, we might say Hebrews because that's been referred to, and James will not be enjoyed by that godly remnant in that time when they are driven out and they will find comfort in reading the chapter that we are reading.
00:15:06
So maybe there is a future application to this portion we're reading to that remnant in that coming day.
Except for this, you won't have the heavenly side that we have here. There may be that which they would enjoy as to it and it might help them too, but they don't have the heavenly side of it. But As for the the Spirit of God here in the prophets.
What we really have in our chapter is that they wrote in those days.
For those who are living today, they didn't write for themselves, that is, they didn't understand their own writings, they didn't know what it was about. And we learned also that even the angels desire to look into these precious things that that we now have, so that the ones who wrote beforehand.
Of this salvation.
They wrote for us ready for the Jew of that day, but it's for us too today. So we say for us in that sense. But they were searching these Scriptures as it says in the 11Th verse, searching what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them.
Did signify, when it testified beforehand, the sufferings of Christ? Isaiah 53 for instance. So on, and the glory that should follow.
Now there there is that in the Old Testament we know that speaks of a coming day of glory.
And it also speaks of the sufferings of Christ, not only in the sacrifices.
But the prophets prophecy as it were, of one to come, for instance the Virgin.
Son and even the everlasting gospel, we have the reference to the woman's seed and all these things have to have a a pointing on to what's coming. So all the profits take this up. They're looking ahead.
That it was for us that they wrote and it goes on to the glory. Now in this chapter we're considering, we've already had those, that portion which belongs to us, the heavenly portion, the inheritance, the fact we're strangers here. But now this next section that we're considering is what was written and who it was written to or for.
And then what follows? We have the expectations in regard to it.
But you'll notice the word grace too in it. You don't have that in the Old Testament.
Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, but grace came first. And it's a marvelous thing to weigh these things and to enjoy them as we read them. Grace, what does it mean? Why, it's unmerited favor that has come to us now in this very day. And the prophets wrote of it, but they didn't enter into it. They searched about it.
They wanted to know, but we have it and we should enjoy it and appreciate it.
It should in answer a form of praise in our hearts to the Lord as to what we have received through this revelation of the prophets of the Old Testament.
Concerning this verse, you're Speaking of 11.
And it's the glory, I believe in the Spanish Bible. It's poor glory. Is that right? Do you remember, Brother Swain, plural glories, the glories that should follow. I think that's a wonderful thing. It's not just one glory which embraces everything. It's a multitude of glories, and they all belong to Christ.
But the suffering came first, and then the glories that should follow him, whether those will be unfolding throughout all eternity.
In fact, this same writer takes us right into the day of God in the next epistle though the glories of Christ. Oh, but notice in the last chapter of this same book, the 10th verse first Peter 5-10 But the Lord of all grace, who hath told us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a what?
00:20:06
Make you perfect. Establish, strengthen, settle you. We have the same order.
The sufferings first, after you have suffered a while, it's just a little while. When we think of eternity, in fact, there's no ratio of comparison. But then we're cold to that eternal glory, something that will never fade away.
Well, glory is all right, but glory is even more, it seems to me.
The glories I was noticing too. The Spirit of Christ.
It doesn't say the Holy Spirit, but it is the Holy Spirit. It's the Spirit of Christ. Because this is what characterizes the action in the hearts of the prophets while they did not understand.
Their prophecies, yet they an exercise of soul passed through the experience, as we get in the Psalms and in Lamentations, all of which spoke of Christ. You take David in the 22nd Psalm. What did he know?
About being forsaken, he says in another place once I was young or am I old yet I've I never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread and yet he goes through the experiences through the spirit of Christ. He's identified with the suffix of Christ and that's why I bought my brother Brown mentioned before. It gives you the exercises that the godly remnant will go through.
In the coming day. But Christ went through all these things.
As the true remnant when he was here on earth. But you take it, Lamentations, we need not turn to it. God brings the terrible judgment upon Jerusalem, Jeremiah says.
To the sorrow that is done unto him, the day of his fears anger, Jeremiah takes to himself.
The Spirit of Christ, the judgment that fell upon Jerusalem, and they deserved it. And so we see Christ taking the same place in the Psalms. Not that he deserved any of these judgments. I just mentioned that in passing to say so that we can see that the Spirit of Christ is what I gave the Old Testament prophets to exercise.
Just as the Spirit of Christ preached before the flood.
The Spirit through now.
You see that the Old Testament a character, the characteristic of those men and their deep exercise of soul.
Possessing the Spirit the way we do, they didn't have the intelligence and we find in John chapter 1415 and 16 the Spirit of Truth mentioned. He's in each of these chapters called the Spirit of Truth.
And in the 14th chapter the Lord Jesus says that in verse 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
And in chapter 15.
Now here we have in verse chapter 14. I should say the things that we find in the gospel.
They didn't understand it because they didn't have the Spirit. They were born from above, but they didn't have the Spirit. Now when that spirit would come, they would understand. He would teach them. In chapter 15, in verse 26, he says, He shall testify of me. We might say this concerns Christ and the church, the assembly.
And then we have in chapter 16.
Verse 13.
He shall.
He will show you things to come. That's the prophetic scriptures. So we do see that the Spirit of God, as we possess him now, is the power for spiritual understanding and intelligence, which none of the Old Testament prophets had now when the Lord Jesus spoke to his disciples.
He said and rebuked them mildly. And.
They were slow to believe all that the prophets had said, as we have here. They testified of the sufferings of Christ and the glory which was to follow. And although they didn't have the Spirit even at that time, the prophets plainly foretold that the Lord Jesus would have to suffer. But they were looking for the Kingdom.
00:25:15
And three were slow to look to death, which is not pleasant.
And beloved, this is what we also have to be reminded of that is given to us not only to believe on his name, Paul says in Philippians, but also to suffer for his name. So we need these admonitions just like these early Christians. Presently there's suffering time. The glory is to come.
But how wonderful that the Spirit comes to our aid.
To give us spiritual intelligence and understanding which none of the Old Testament prophets had. How privileged we are as Christians.
We might read in Isaiah 63 a few verses to.
Clarify as to the action of the Spirit of God in the old dispensation, and how it is indeed different since the work of the cross.
Isaiah 63.
Beginning with verse eight, he said surely they are my people, children that will not lie. So he was their savior.
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bear them, and carried them all the days of old. But.
They rebel and vexed his Holy Spirit.
Therefore, he turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
Then he remembered the days of old Moses and his people saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him?
Now go down to verse 14.
This simile is very remarkable as a beast goeth down into the valley. Notice that as a beast goeth down into the valley, so the spirit of the Lord caused him to rest. So that so didst thou lead thy people to make thyself a glorious name. If you think of the simile.
A beast up on a hill or a mountain, looking down in the valley and seeing something it wanted.
It just went down. It went down on its own power and thought.
And what after? What it desired? Well, the spirit of God and the old dispensation came down and worked marvelously. And there's the presence of the Lord, the Angel of his presence, Jehovah, with the people of Israel.
As we see him right through the Old Testament. But the action and the power was always the Spirit of God, wasn't it? Amen.
And it was marvelous what He did. He came upon certain men and they prophesied. Balaam, for instance, has been sighted. But now it's so different. Race has finished the work and going up on high. And in virtue of that the Spirit of God has been sent down and He has come down and He remains here. He dwells in US. Besides that, He's written this whole book.
And right here today, he's here to explain it to us. He's right here.
That's some of the difference you were thinking of, brother.
The passage you cited in Isaiah 63 is the first time in the Bible that the Spirit is called the Holy Spirit selected, brought in there in connection with Israel. Now if you go to Isaiah 59, we'll see that when the Jewish after it taken out and God works among the Jews again and raises up as we speak of the remnant.
Of poor people in the midst of the land, we'll notice that the Spirit will again act.
On the same way that is of the Old Testament matter, verse 19 of Isaiah 59, so shall they fear the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him, and the Redeemer shall come to Zion. So it was before the Redeemer comes to Zion. That is, the Lord comes in glory to set up his Kingdom.
00:30:12
Israel, God will allow the power of the Spirit to work in Israel among the faithful, to make set up a standard against the enemy, because the enemy will come in like a flood, because Revelation 12 shows it. And God will provide an escape for the godly ones. So we see that there's no real testimony and in any age without the Spirit except now.
The difference between Isaiah and prophecy and the Apostle Paul writing has given us here.
Preached with the Holy Ghost, sent down from heaven indwelling Paul so that Paul knew and understood what he had written. 1St Corinthians 2 tells us that.
But Isaiah would have to say, I don't know what that means. He might know the meaning of words, but he would. How would he know how to apply what we now call the 53rd chapter so that we see the difference between Old Testament and New Testament action of the Spirit? Those who preach the gospel now says in verse 12, preach it with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
So they understand their writings. I repeat that again. And so let's turn to 1St Corinthians 2 because it brings us in there.
1St Corinthians 2 we get the source of these things and then we get the application of verse 9 gives us the Old Testament position.
But as it is written, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God have prepared for them that love him. Now what about us? But God hath revealed them unto us, unto us, by his Spirit. For the Spirit such in all things, and the deep things of God. Verse 12.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God.
We might know the things that are freely given to us of God. So we have these two things here, the revelation of the police truths to the apostles by the Spirit, and then we have Spirit indwelling us so that we also can enjoy what the apostles were given by the Spirit. So we see the vast blessing that flows in the fact that the Holy Ghost as he is with us now.
Was sent down from heaven by a glorified Christ who went into that place.
The first man to enter that place in view of an accomplished redemption.
I wondered if perhaps there's even a little third thought there which I know you would agree with. That is, the truth was communicated to them by the Spirit, and then the very words with which to pass that truth on to us was also by the Spirit, if we might just refer to the 13th verse of that same chapter.
Which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches. So there is a three fold communication by the Holy Spirit.
The truth and trusted to be specific intuition here to the apostle Paul now he has not left to present it to us in his own words that best he knows how the very word with which the truth is passed on to us by inspiration of the Spirit of God and the way in which it is made good to us is also by the Spirit of God. I say this because.
I truly don't want to digress, but the attempt to improve on the words by the Spirit of God entrusted in a serious thing.
As though well got the truth, but he just did the best he could to pass it on. The very word were given by the Spirit of God. I also find myself here, brethren, quite humbled by what has been said. That is, in verse eleven of our chapter we find the Old Testament writers searching their own writings with profound interest. If you wish David going over.
22nd Psalm. Isaiah going over the 53rd top chapter.
They searched their right. The angels desired to look into and hear. Beloved brethren, we sit with this complete word of God in our hand, the Holy Spirit of God indwelling us. And are we half as much interested as these authors were who read their writings and couldn't understand them? They searched diligently and it was made known to them, Well, this is not for you.
00:35:17
48 people yet to come, which means the angels desire to look into. And brethren, I wonder sometimes, do the angels look on right now with a bit of astonishment? Here are the very people to whom this was given, and concerning whom it is written.
And how do we value it? Is it real to us? Is it precious to us? Are we trying to understand it simply so that we might be considered good scholars in the scriptures?
Or are we?
Are we, dear brethren, seeking this day to have from the Word of God that which will be light for our pathway and good for our soul? When you think of these authors searching diligently, When you think of the angels desiring to look into and when you think of the people of golf sitting down and weep with a bottle open in their hand, and it's.
About us and the glorious heritage that is ours right now. Don't we feel a little bit humble that it doesn't mean more to us than it does Daniel?
It might be interesting to read about what Daniel says in the last chapter of Daniel. He has gotten many wonderful visions from the Lord.
About the Gentile kingdoms and the end of God's earthly people.
And in verse eight of chapter 12 of Daniel, he says, and I've heard, but I understood not.
Then said, I, Oh my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? Peter speaks of those who inquired. Peter is in our Daniel is inquiring here. He says, What shall be the end of these things? But this is what we've been having before us, partly here in theaters. The end, the salvation of our souls and the inheritance, the glory.
What shall be the end of these things? And he said unto me, Go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up.
And sealed till the time of the end wasn't given to him to note all then he didn't understand but I'm sure it exercised his soul. Daniel was a person that was exercised and he wanted to please God. That didn't make any difference whether it meant his life. He was willing to stand for God and with God.
It really affected him what what the Lord gave him, even though he couldn't understand him.
But he says many shall be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away in the abomination, and make of death, and set up, there shall be 1290 days. Now he's going way beyond our time.
Way beyond our time. Blessed is he that waiteth and come through 1300.
305 and 30 days.
Going way to the end, but go thou thy way till the envy, for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lock at the end of the days. But he wasn't told what that lock was either. But it just shows that they were interested in these things that the Lord was showing to them, and they were exercised by them, even though they didn't understand them all. Well, we may be sitting here.
This afternoon and reading these things and going over them and Speaking of them, and we perhaps don't understand very much about it. We enter into it a little bit, but I'm sure the Lord is giving us enough to exercise our souls. And as our brother Albert has been reminding us, we need to be stirred by these things that we're we're reading and going over that it shouldn't be just so much abstract truth, but really living truth, something that affects our hearts and.
My angels. Pardon me, brother.
First tells us wherefore that is in view of what we've been told. Gird up the loins of your mind.
That's a striking statement. We know that the in those days they wore flowing garments and they had to put on like that girdle to keep the garment from brushing against what would defile it. And it's looked at in that way, but it says it burned up the lines of your mind now in in Colossians 3, it says in the King James set your affections on things above, but it should breed.
00:40:26
Set your mind on things above.
That's how our minds can be girded, by having our having our mindset upon that which is of God and that we set our mind on it, our affections ought to follow. So that's why I have the word mind is a stronger word there in Colossians 3. So we're called upon to gird up the loins of our mind that brings in the thought of being alert.
Watching, waiting, standing. These things is further clarified in 2nd Corinthians 3.
That it is by the Spirit that is what was written in the Old Testament, which we've been speaking about. The verses are very helpful. He's writing about Israel and how they were blinded in verse 14 in the reading of the Old Testament, Second Corinthians 314.
Israel is mentioned, the children of Israel in verse 13 and how they were blinded. The veil was untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament, which failed is done away in Christ, so Christ comes in. But even under this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, I suppose that's Israel.
The veil shall be taken away now. The Lord is that spirit.
And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I want to stress that first, because there is, really.
The key to understanding the Old Testament is seeing Christ and all of the Old Testament as revealed by the Spirit of God and that takes all the veil away. We see the whole mind of God revealed in the Old Testament because the New Testament opens it up and then the verse, the next verse goes on in a very wonderful way.
But we all, we all who have the Spirit of God.
Open face. Unveiled face.
Oh, there's no bail now that was rent when the work was done and Calvary's cross so that now there's access right into the presence of God for the Sinner that's washed. And so with unveiled face beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory. Now you get the plural and you could just go on and say that and say that from glory to glory to glory and.
Even as by the Spirit of the Lord, all these things begin now we.
Have the spirit of thought to open up these things in both the Old and the New Testament to reveal all of this that was told there of the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow. I was just thinking the what our brother Albert was Speaking of.
The angels, however, he passed by angels.
And.
This comes just before verse 13.
That the angels desire to look into.
It's a marvelous thing that God has passed by a race that I shouldn't say race, but those who are in a higher position than men.
Angels, and he's taken up sinners.
Worthless and he's placed them above angels with Christ.
Now here we have the expectations following.
And it's already been mentioned, we're for gird up the loins of your mind.
This is the way the new nature responds, is it not to this grace that has been brought to us?
There's the answering in our souls to the grace that has been brought to us. What a position we've been placed in.
And sober, well, that would be self judgment, wouldn't it?
And.
Then the patience, the endurance that suggested here.
00:45:02
A hope to the end.
For the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
We do have salvation.
We have that salvation already, the salvation of the soul.
But we hope to the end.
For the grace, he says it's grace. Peter likes that word. He uses a great deal.
The end in view for the grace that is to be brought unto you. And this is lovely too. It isn't the energy of the flesh that gets it, it's that which is brought unto us.
I believe the truth here before us in this chapter is very simple and precious to our souls. The grace that is, is to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ and that day, that revelation of the person of Christ, all that he is. But it'll be a glory of judgment, of course, for the world.
That 14 first of Isaiah 63 that was read.
The beast goes down at the valley to rest. So the Lord has made himself a glorious name. But that's the millennial day in view, I believe. I believe that verse is is a picture of the millennial day as people have gone are going down to rest.
And then he makes himself a glorious theme. That's the revelation of Jesus Christ.
That's the fulfilling of it all. He has His people at rest. Further thought in connection with the interest of these angels, I like to notice that when the Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem, suddenly there was with the age of multitude of a heavenly host praising God, seeing of angels. That's why they should wait the first time they had seen their Creator.
And there he is, a Bay bracket, swaddling clothes. And they just rejoiced, and their phrases resound. But then at his resurrection.
At the empty two He is not here, he is risen. Come see the place for the Lord Lake. And suddenly that was wisdom, a multitude of the heavenly host, no.
It just seems to me sometimes as though they step to one side and say, this is not for us. This is for the redeemed among men. Let us hear their praises. And what do we do? Do we really feel like crazy? In a very silence of the angels, if you wish, at the empty tomb in the rebuke to my soul. Because it just seems to me they say it's now time for math.
To fill this world with his praises. But even we are so neglectful.
It's about the beast going into the valley and the new translation what's cattle? And if you think of cattle being a farmer, who was They go into the valley in the nice times and.
When the storm comes, they go up on the top of the hill again, and today the Holy Spirit indwells us in the valley, and it also takes us up into the top of the hills and takes us up to heaven, doesn't it?
You didn't hear?
Well, the other rendering or something I believe is the cattle going into the valley.
When did they go into the valley? They go into the valley to eat.
And then the storm comes, they come up to the top of the hill again. So the Holy Spirit comes down, and then he takes us up to heaven. Is that correct?
General thought man, but in all the power of God he is God, but he comes as a man, because at the revelation he comes in judgment for the world.
And all judgment is given to the Son of Man.
And it's important to see that in the Gospels that even in John where he's seen as the Son of God.
00:50:04
He's also seen as the Son of man because it's as a son of man that he fulfills all the counsels of God, and in fulfilling them he cleanses the whole scene. He actually takes away the sin of the world as we have in John One.
But he cleanses the whole scene and then he sets up his Kingdom. But it'll be the revelation of Jesus Christ. We don't have the rapture here.
In in Peter, but we have that which is just beyond the rapture and we do have the day star in our hearts and Peter so that it's it's the believer in the good of his whole portion, really.
Although it isn't detailed, but we don't have the truth of the rapture brought out here, but we do have the whole portion and goes on to the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now the revelation of Jesus Christ isn't just some facts about Jesus Christ.
Is the person himself.
And that's that's what will be before us for all eternity.
Person of Jesus Christ, not just something about him that will be true, but it's the revelation of Jesus Christ himself.
Let us read Revelation.
Chapter one and verse one carefully when I finally have it now.
There are many Saints that do not see.
Just what the word of God says here in verse one.
The revelation of Jesus Christ Which God?
Gave him or to him it should reject.
Here is a gift of God himself.
To his Son it's a gift, to his Son, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to his.
To him to show until His servants now notice the links in the chain of of distance. This book is a book of judgment.
And distance is becoming a judge.
And the affections are are there in verse 13 in chapter one, the affections are there, but he's gird about the paps. The affections are pent up because he appears in the character of a judge.
It's not a question of nearness. Now motion, truth and nearness is a question. Rather have a somewhat of a distance because of judgment He gave to Him to show unto his servants. Notice that second link.
That which must shortly come to pass. And he sent and signified it by his angels. There is the 4th lake unto his servant John, the 5th link. And I think there's another link.
In verse four, our chapter 4.
Yes, now notice, John, to the seven churches, and that is to you and me and every Christian on earth is this book.
Given and in verse three, do we get blessed? Is he that readeth?
Notice that it doesn't say he didn't understand it. It is a book of symbols. 220 symbols 15 are repeated, making 235 this book, which seems like a crossword puzzle to the average person. He is a very, very happy.
Woman that God has given us to enjoy and we need help.
00:55:03
By the teachers that can unfold the treasures of this book and in order to make order out of what looks like chaos. Every word is perfectly written in the way God wants to be written. But the mere professor can make mincemeat out of out of it, of course.
I want to emphasize that this book is a gift to the Lord Jesus. If we get that, we're not going to misinterpret and make out that this book is is all about revealing Christ. That is not what it says. It reveals him as a judge.
It reveals him as a prophet.
I mean, the whole thing is prophetic.
Anticipating.
Preparing for the coming.
The coming in of His Kingdom, when He shall take over all the things in heaven and in earth. You head of all things. Ephesians 110.
And it anticipates.
All of this bringing in of 1000 years of the Kingdom when the Lord Jesus shall reign with his Saints over the earth and the Authorized Version says on the earth shall reign over the earth. It furthermore goes in to an eye opening lot of truth such as revealing.
What the world is doing to its coming judgment, what the false church is doomed as this coming judgment, what the true church is to enter into like inverse chapter 21 in the glory, and that'll be in the heavenly glory during that thousand years.
It also goes on to that which pertains to the eternal state.
Chapter one verse Chapter 21 Verse is one to at least verse 8. The eternal state. Mr. Kelly has said Isaiah is the most comprehensive book in the Old Testament.
Book of Revelation is the most comprehensive book in the New Testament. It starts like with chapter one verse 5. Unto him that has loved this nuisance from our sins in his own blood. That is the Christian song for now, this age that is.
But it also gives us eye opening truth.
In the seven churches.
He is appraising the state of the anticipated history of the church and of each one. He gives them to seek to hear what the Spirit said unto the churches. In other words, here by the heart.
To hear by the heart, not to appraise to hear.
To overcome.
Is a problem in everyone of the seven churches.
Wouldn't it be sufficient for us in the chapter this afternoon to notice the 10th verse of Second Thessalonians?
One, and when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day.
There is a day coming when Christ will come in all his glory, and His people will come with him. I believe that Peters thinking of that day when he speaks of the revelation, is he not?
For his two brother, I was thinking of that same passage in the seventh verse that says, And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels inflaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, that obeyed not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
01:00:09
So the revelation of the shining out of his coming will be when the Lord Jesus bursts upon this scene, not only will the Saints be with him.
But angels will be with them to execute his wrath and judgment, or I believe it's precious, as our brother is calling attention to that tent first, how glorious we are going to look in that day, so that we might be admired. No notice without that verse reads, when he shall come to be glorified and his Saints, and to be admired in all, in the belief who will be glorified in the Saints? Christ, who will?
Admired in the Saints Christ, because everyone of us will then appear.
And all the beauty and blessedness into which He has brought us the judgment seat of Christ will be over. The awards will have been given for faithfulness, will come forth as a war wearing our regimentals, and display to the world what a marvelous thing is. But what a practical application I don't have. If Christ is going to display us before the world to manifest His glory in the day, when then the world will know that he that the Father has sent Him.
What about the testimony now? Does the world see Christ in us now? Does the world hear Christ in us now? These are very practical things. It's all very well to look on to that revelation. We're going to be manifested with Christ and glory. But what about now? I do an illustration in connection with this tenth verse.
Of a diamond in a setting of pearls might be on a ring. It might be on some other piece of jewelry.
But the diamond is set in the midst of a setting of pearls.
Well, you might ask, well, why are the pearls there? Well, to enhance the diamond, to display the diamond, to attract attention to the diamond, to put the diamond in its true place, in its true aspect. Well, that's why we're going to be there around the Lord, to draw attention to Him, to put him on display, to attract attention to him.
All of our attention will be focused upon Him. And what for? To glorify Him. And what should it be now saying? Because so often we're pointed to the future to exercise us for the present with the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst. Why are we gathered around Him? To glorify Him, to worship Him, to praise Him. That's what we're here for.
Not to think of ourselves. And that's why on Lord's Day morning.
We don't come to get something for ourselves, we come to give to Him. It's the same principle as it will be in the glory. That's the principle that prevails now, and I think we need to remember that to exercise our soul. We noticed that this verse says.
The grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I've enjoyed thinking for myself.
That this begins with us, the believer, the first time we see Jesus.
The rapture will be that moment, but surely the grace will come out at the judgment seat of Christ, which has been referred to. And I think it's going to be a wonderful revelation of Jesus Christ right there at the judgment seat of Christ when all that grace.
That has kept us all the way through the desert will be revealed. Peter is writing to those who were in afflictions and trials and persecutions and a fiery trial too well there it's all going to be cleared up when they get that back backward look at the judgment seat of Christ. They'll see the grace that.
Led them to this place and to that place, and kept them all the way.
Of course, that's really just the beginning of it, and as has already been pointed out, it will just go on and on and on learning of Him, but the grace seems to stress that point. I'd like to know others would agree with that. Well, I feel that much you're afraid to force their connection with the judgment seat of Christ.
Is true because what is the judgment seat of Christ? It will be a manifestation. It's not a place of doom because that's reserved for the great white throne, but the judgment seat of Christ. Where all believers, Christians, come to stand. There will be a manifestation of their works and that will be for rewards, while some will be burned up and others will be preserved.
01:05:22
But there I believe we will get such a view, such a manner of a station of the grace that's been ministered to us from the time we were saved and even before what the grace of God was doing for us. And leading up to. And we're saved by grace and we're kept by grace and we stand in grace and we'll see really what the Lord has done for us.
We may have an idea of a certain amount that the Lord has done for us that we might take in connection with the payment of our debt, the debt of our sins, which was which was death. The Lord has paid that debt well. We might think of that debt maybe as $10,000.
That the Lord is paid, but when we get there, it will be such a large sum we won't even be able to speak it. We'll see how great that debt was that we owe, but the Lord in grace paid it all on how merciful He's been to us. We will need the judgment seat of Christ to bring all that out because we we understand so little about it. How we just see a little bit. We only see in part, but then we're going to see the whole thing manifested.
Is that Ephesians 2 verse seven, brother?
But in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace.
In His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. There is a warning here. I believe the time must be about up, but I really ought not to pass over the emphasizing in Second Thessalonians the verses we were looking at.
And when they emphasize the privileges of those that he's going to come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God and that now notice this, that obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel has been put before them, but they do not bow to it.
They are not subject to the sun as Savior and Lord. Now everyone and in the general context here, there is the coming apostasy.
At the beginning of chapter 2 without going into detail.
But the apostasy is going to.
See the Antichrist, this is in verse three is going to see the Antichrist the man of sin. He's going to be revealed as the son of perdition, the expression exactly the same words implied also to the devil.
This expression the son of perdition.
Now who opposeth and exalteth himself? He exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worship, so that he himself.
As God sits as God, yes.
In the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Now.
The Temple is in Jerusalem. That will be the place of the Antichrist.
The beast of Roman beast will be in Rome.
Now we've dropped down to verse 9.
The end, even him who is coming, is after the working of Satan.
And with all power we said to that in the 13th of Revelation, the working of Satan with all power and signs and and and lying wonders.
01:10:02
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.
Because.
They receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie.
That they all might be damned who believed, noticed they had the opportunity now they received not the love of the truth, they believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
All this serious solemn warning for every year that looks into the Word of God. Read it carefully. Take warning that there be none that were preferred.
To abide in everlasting fire.
Now in verse 14.
It seems that we get two things. We get standing in state brought out here because.
It speaks of obedient children here in our translation, but it means children of obedience, that is, that have the character of obedience as being born again. They have that character of obedience. They have divine life which is characterized by obedience.
But then it says, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts and your ignorance. Now this is something that has to do with our condition, our state, and the apostle Peter is exercising our hearts that if we are children of obedience, we ought to act like it.
I'd like to continue that thought that you've just expressed in Ephesians 4.
We have certain instructions.
To the Saints. We'll just begin with verse verse 28.
Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give them that needed that no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the use of edifying, that it may minister grace under the hearers. Read not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby he is sealed unto the day of redemption, that all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and glamour, and evil speaking.
Be put away from you with all malice. Now to whom is Paul saying this? He's saying this to Saints will be told in the first chapter that they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. They should be holy and without blame before God and love. He's telling them in the second chapter they're seated in heavenly places.
In the third chapter, he's telling you that they're part of that wonderful mystery, the church.
That the Jewish gentile of Pontiac is of one body. He's telling him all these wonderful things. Now he says to them, don't steal anymore. Don't lie anymore. Don't let any filthy communication proceed out of your mouth. You see, I almost remember a statement. I hope I got it closed. But my brother HG Hagel used to say something like this, that every exhortation you get in the epistles.
As to our war is based on what we've already seen to be before God.
So if I'm seated in heavenly places, if I belong to Christ, what manner have been on item B? So he says to these people, stop stealing. You know, you know, sometimes we don't like that practical ministry. You know, we often like, you know, in the work of judges. Let me use the illustration when Caleb gave that land to his daughter AXA.
She asked for springs of water, and he gave her the upper springs, and he gave her the nether springs.
Now in the first three chapters of Ephesians we've got the upper springs, our heavenly place, the place in which God has put us. But in the last three chapters we got the nether springs. We have the word of God applied to our walk and waves. And so Paul was very practical. He didn't when he preached Christ, he preached the full Christ. He preached the Christ in glory, and then he preached how we ought to walk according to Christ.
And so we ought never to hinder or object to crack up what is called practical ministry.
01:15:04
God brings something home to our conscience publicly or individually. Let's not resent it. Say let's preach Christ. I said, dear brother, I won't mention his name. Years ago he said he must preach Christ. I pointed out to him, if you don't preach the practical side, you're only preaching 1/2 Christ. If you just preach Christ in glory in my association with him. That isn't how the Ephesians lie in Christ.
Paul speaks to them having blind the truth as it was in Jesus. They had never seen the Lord.
Brings in these these practical things are very important in relation to what God has done for us.
Similar thought in first Corinthians 6 and verse 17. But he that has joined unto the Lord is 1 Spirit Lee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sent us against his own body.
What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, For ye are bought for the price.
Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are gone.
Brother wrote, I believe not only is every exhortation based upon of lasting that God has already bestowed, but I believe the other holds true to that. Every flexing that God has bestowed brings promptly with it and exertation to follow. It's very interesting. I just simply suggest that we watch for it. Romans 12, I beseech you.
Therefore, brethren, by the compassion of God, that we present your body here, we have it as a remark in Ephesians 4.
And just a couple. I just pulled them left off because to me they're very, very beautiful. We are confident, I say, and will it rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord, wherefore we labor.
Then a whole chapter, first Corinthians 15, presenting the wonder of the resurrection. Therefore, my dear brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. And I really believe, dear brethren, that if we look for it, we'll find that no sooner have we received from Him unfolding of all of wonderful heritage and blessings.
We'll find that word, therefore, and it's followed by that, which is very searching and very practical. So it's based upon.
What God has done for us. The other is true, that every time we breathe of a blessing. Please take that safe little exhortation following #2 in the appendix.
#2 In the back of the book, Oh Lord, thy loves unbounded, so sweet, so full, so free. My soul is all transported when I think on thee yet, Lord, alas.
What weakness? Within myself I find no infants. Changing pleasure is like my wandering mind.
Our late brother Jan Darby wrote back when he was 45 years of age.
What a message it carries #2.
I.
'M great.
01:20:29
My soul still.
Breath.
Of God.
My.
My soul and Jesus.
I.
I want to finish.
My soul.
In the world.
And.