NO Christian who is in a healthy state of soul will ever be idle in the work of the Lord. The love of Christ when known and enjoyed in the power of the Holy Ghost will fill the heart with praise and the life with earnest and devoted energy in the service of God.
What was seen in such large measure in the devoted lives of these servants of the Lord, was also found characterizing whole assemblies of saints. The Corinthians were “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:5858Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)).
Thank God! days of ruin such as these need be no excuse for spiritual idleness, and though much of what is called “Christian work” at the present time appears likely to be burned up in the day when “the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (1 Cor. 3:1313Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (1 Corinthians 3:13)), yet it has been our privilege to know many who have gone forth in the energy of faith, and in the mighty power of the Spirit of God, to preach the gospel of Christ, not only in places where that gospel has been preached for long years, but also in lands where Christ had never yet been named.
In connection with the subject of work for God, we would draw our readers’ attention to Nehemiah 3. We have recently been much struck with this portion of the inspired Word, it will well repay a close and prayerful study. It describes a day of deep failure in Israel. There had been a time of revival and blessing described in the Book of Ezra. Men of God had been raised up who devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the work of the house of the Lord. Though Jerusalem was a heap of ruins, they set themselves right with God and “builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God” (Ezra 3:22Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. (Ezra 3:2)).
Joy and gladness filled the atmosphere, praising and giving of thanks resounded on all hands.
True, the ancient men wept who had seen the first house, for no revival can ever bring things back to their original condition. What God sets up in perfection, man utterly fails to maintain in power; God then, in His grace, gives times of revival in answer to His people’s cry, yet never restores as it was at the beginning, but carries forward the heart in faith to a future day when He will establish all in immutable righteousness and eternal glory.
Though weeping was heard, yet joy exceeded it all, and so it ever is where a true ministry in the power of the Spirit is found. The one who serves Christ most acceptably is the one who helps forward the joy of God’s redeemed people, and not the one who plunges them in sadness and sorrow. It is easy to make the saints sorry with a rod of discipline, but better far to be helpers of their joy (2 Cor. 1:2424Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. (2 Corinthians 1:24)).
We do not dwell further upon this gracious movement of God’s Spirit in the days of Ezra, but pass on to a similar season of refreshing under Nehemiah. It is striking and instructive to see the influence for good that one man may exercise when apprehended of God and spiritually fitted for the work. This is most manifest in the case of Nehemiah. The work started some years previously as described in the Book of Ezra had received a serious check, and the restored remnant appears to have settled down helplessly to endure the reproach and affliction in the midst of which they found themselves at Jerusalem; the wall was broken down, and the gates were burned with fire.
Once again God raises up an instrument to accomplish His work of blessing. Though far away in Shushan, Nehemiah’s thoughts were with his people at Jerusalem, and his heart was moved with sorrow at the tidings which reached him of their low estate. But he needed to be morally fitted for the work God was calling him to—he “sat down and wept, and mourned, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.”
It is beautiful to see the attitude of his soul before God (chap. 1:4-11). He prayed night and day, he took the low place in confession, but pleaded the unalterable word of God. “If ye transgress, I will scatter,” had been Jehovah’s threat; this alas! had proved itself true. But Nehemiah’s faith lays hold of Jehovah’s promise, “If ye turn unto Me... I will gather,” reminding Jehovah that this people full of afflictions and reproach were His servants, His people, and had been redeemed by His great power.
Yet what a sight met his gaze when he reached his beloved city, and by night surveyed the ruins of what had once been so fair and beautiful. Nehemiah seems to have been much alone in his estimate of the state of things at Jerusalem. Ezra even, it would seem, so prominent in the revival that had taken place twelve years before, had fallen in with much that filled Nehemiah with the deepest concern. There are times when faith has to act alone, and so Nehemiah in solitary sorrow goes forth to view “the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down.” The rulers, the priests, and the nobles were slumbering whilst this man who sought the welfare of the children of Israel was groaning at the reproach in which they lay. Something must be done, for “ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire” (chap. 2:17).
Is there not a voice for us today in all this?
Have there not been most gracious revivals in the past? Is not the power and joy of one of the greatest of these still fresh in the memory of the present generation But― “ye see the distress that we are in.”
This distressful condition is found in the whole Church of God. The enemy has come in like a flood. Evil men and seducers have been at work. Apostasy has swept over Christendom in mighty torrents; and there where love and confidence once reigned, envy, suspicion, and bitterness are found. The work of the Lord has ceased. Thank God! there are bright spots of exception; but, speaking generally, a state of paralysis exists; preaching rooms are deserted, conversions rarely heard of, and the spreading of the work of the Lord into ever-increasing new districts, such as some of us can remember in the seventies and eighties, seems entirely to have ceased.
Shall we settle down contentedly into this state of things? Are there none who will mourn, and fast, and confess, and pray as this man did? Ezra’s revival may have lost its vigor and freshness, will a Nehemiah spirit of faith and energy be vouchsafed to call upon us to shake ourselves from the dust? ― “Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.”
In saying this we do well to guard against any spirit of sectarianism. It is the state of the whole Church of God that should weigh upon our consciences: it is the well-being of the whole Church of God that should lie close to our hearts. Nothing less or narrower than this can at any time meet with the Lord’s approval. “Love to all the saints,” and conflict for all the saints in prayer is never more needed than it is today.
Nor do we mean that anything can be built up today in the shape of special testimony. It is a very individual day indeed, but a day when individuals may greatly help to lift up the hands that fall down, and to strengthen the feeble knees, and to make straight, or even, paths for weary feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way.
Brethren, hearken to the Spirit’s touching appeal, “Let it rather be healed” (Heb. 12:12, 1312Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:12‑13)). Let envy, suspicion, strife, and bitterness drop off like autumn leaves, and let the fruit of the Spirit abound in “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22, 2322But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23)).
(To be continued.)