Address—C.E. Lunden
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10 minutes, the 5th bird.
Our times are in thy hands, Jesus the Advocate and if those three thoughts that I had before me and taking up these three scriptures.
In the Old Testament.
But in taking them up, I might speak of them in this way. Israel had in their history 3 unsheathed swords, 3 unsheathed swords, and the first one is found in the 22nd of numbers.
You know, it might seem strange after these happy meetings, these both happy meetings and the how the Spirit of God has given us a range of truth. Take us into the heavenlies and then we see the disciples having their feet washed.
Do at the end just to bring in these three stores. It may seem strange, and it isn't that I desire, nor did I come to these meetings with the intention of it, but rather than these last few meetings that's been laid on my part, I believe.
You'll have to prove it as you hear these remarks, whether it was or not, but I feel it has and I believe it will gain profit for our soul. In considering these three passages, the first one, we won't go into detail because my thought was to speak more of the last one, but in this 22nd of numbers, we have in the first part of the chapter.
The Children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Mara. On this side Jordan by Jericho.
And Baling, the son of Zipper, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and more was a sore afraid of the people because they were many. More was distressed because of the children of Israel, more upset under the elders of million. Now shall this company lick up all and around about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.
Bailing to Southern Zipper was king of the Moabites at that time.
And he sent messengers therefore unto failing the son of the Arkham, which is by the rivers, the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth.
They abide over against me. Come now, therefore I pray thee, curse me this people, for they are too mighty for me. Now go down to the 21St verse. Veil rolls up in the morning and sound his *** and went with the Princess of Moore. God's anger was kindled because he went.
And the Angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him.
Now he was riding upon his *** and the two servants were with him, And the *** saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and he saw it drawn in his hand. And they asked turned the side out of the way, and went into the field, And Balaam smoked the *** that to turn her into the way.
But the Angel of the Lord stood in the path of the vineyards a while, being on this side and the wall on that side. When the *** saw the Angel of Lord, she thrust herself into the wall and crushed Baliams foot against the wall, and he smote her again.
And the Angel of the Lord went further, and said in a narrow place, where was no way to turn, either to the right hand or to the left. And when he asked all the Angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam. Balaam anger was kindled, and he smoked the *** from the staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ***. And she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee? Thou Smit me these three times.
They instead of the *** because thou smart me I.
There was a sword in my hand, for now when I kill thee and the asset under bail, am not I thine *** which upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was dying unto this day? Was I ever want to do so unto thee? And he said nay. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way.
And his sword drawn in his hands, and he bowed down his head and fell flat.
On his face. Now, dear brethren, this sword should give our hearts comfort. Here we find the people that God has selected. Chosen reminds us of the adoption in the first chapter of Ephesians. God has chosen for himself, and we learned from other scriptures that God didn't choose them because they were better than other people.
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He chose them because he loved them.
And he chose them so they would inherit a land that was, according to his own heart, a blessing for them.
And now he's leading them through the wilderness, and he's a guard for them.
Does that have any comfort for your heart this afternoon? Do you know that there's a sword drawn to preserve you through the wilderness? Perhaps you've gotten discouraged. Perhaps you feel that the way is too rough. Never mind. You know what God made Balaam do, The one who was going to curse his people.
He made him pronounce a blessing on them. In fact, the prophecy of Balaam is a marvelous lake in the prophetic truth, showing the ultimate for God's people. That's what God does. He makes the laugh of man to praise him and the rest of the wrath he restrains. Are you trusting today, or are you occupied with your circumstances? Are you under them? Am I under them? No. Here we have our.
And, you know, he took those people, and he took them all the way to the land of Canaan. And what's more, in the coming day, he's going to take the children of Israel, their children. He's going to fulfill all the promises that he made to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and he'll have them settled in their own land. And you know, brethren, perhaps this very night you'll hear the shout.
And every one of his people are going to be taken home. There won't be one hook left behind.
Is that an encouragement to your heart that the sword of the Lord is drawn in your favor, that He's protecting and keeping you all the way till He has your home?
Oh, shame on our hearts as we turn aside to this and that and become discouraged. The sword is gone and God will not allow anything to interfere with the one who's walking in communion.
But now let's turn to Joshua the 6th chapter. I believe we have a progress here in truth in these three pictures, but I believe also as we were noticing the failing that three times the Lord, the Angel meets him before he finally caused him to fall on his face. And I was just noticing yesterday is our your brother was speaking to the young people.
He was Speaking of a day's journey away from the Lord Jesus.
I know how easily that can take place, but I as as I was noticing that my eye dropped down to the lower part of the stage. You know there what it says it took them three days to find one day away. 3 days back. Isn't that sad? Oh how hard it is to get back when we get out of communion 3 days back.
Well, we have a very happy picture here in Joshua 6.
At the rather the 5th chapter. At the end of the 5th chapter, I'm sorry, the 10th verse And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
They did eat of the old corn of the land on the Morrow after the Passover unleavened cakes, parched corn in the self same day, and the Maze seized on the Morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land. Neither had the children of Israel mad anymore, but they did eat them the fruit, the land of Canaan that year.
And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho.
That he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went out to him and said on him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay, but his captain of the host of the Lord am I now, Tom? Joshua fell on his face to the earth.
And did worship, he said on the M1, says My Lord unto me, servant.
The captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua.
Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place we're in. Thou standard this holy. And Joshua did so.
Now we see.
Something a little different. It isn't an Angel here with a drawn sword. It's a man. It isn't the one who's come to guard his people.
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But as ones to come to lead them into that good land. And he has a sword in his hand, a drawn sword, as it was before. We noticed too, that.
The Passover here is mentioned the 14th day, the proper day to keep it. They were keeping it, and we learn here too that now the change is going to take place from the eating of the Manor.
They're now going to face for the first time and eat the fruits of that land, the old court of that land. It's still Christ, but now it's Christ is glorified, the proper portion of the believer to enjoy.
And they enjoy it before they get there.
And that's what we've been doing here these last days. We've been eating, dear brethren, already some of that precious fruit of that land.
But notice how they were occupied here in the 11Th verse after the Passover. The unleavened bread and the farts gone. Now all three of these still brothers speak of Christ.
The Passover speaks of that which God sees in that precious blood when he passes over all God's people who are sheltered under it, and all God's people are sheltered under it. Everyone now, brethren, as we sit here and eat in these past few days of that corn.
Of the land, that new land.
I'm sure the Passover as to what it means, Christ, our Passover sacrifice for us. I'm sure this has been before us. In fact, this afternoon we're not Speaking of anything possibly than what we've had in these meetings, but just in a little different way and the summing up possibly of some of these things, Passover, precious blood of Christ that God saw.
So he could Passover the feet. And you know what that means? That God was fully satisfied.
But the unleavened bread, the heart occupied now with one, One who had never sinned, nor could he sin.
That one corn of wheat that fell in the ground and died, but he would not buy it alone.
Yeah, and what does that make us think of? Oh, it only humbles this heart. Nothing like that. Here steps through sovereign grace. God stops of his people a shelter under the blood and now soul occupied with one in all his perfection that the unleavened bread speaks of. But then they go a little further yet.
And we see the parks corn, that which has been through the fire.
Through the fire with no relief.
No relief.
Right straight in the fire, Dear brethren, you know all this was for us. For us. And those who eat the old corn of the land, if they eat it, we'll eat it in this way.
If you and I are occupied with a risen, glorified Christ, it's because this is true of our souls.
Is it not? Now we have the captain all we've already noticed the guard, but now he's the captain who's going to lead us into this good land. And so he stands there with a drawn sword. Why?
If we're in the good land, we're enjoying the good land. Why the sword?
Well, it'll always be so as long as we're here, we're eating the good food of that land.
Already, but conscious that the place of the grand.
The ground upon which we stand holy. Why? Because holiness becomes thy house, and there's no such thing as communion outside of it. And this, brethren, is practical holiness.
Oh, surely the work of Christ has brought us in all that perfection into His presence. But as long as we're here, we might we're reminded of the sword, and that there is such a thing as the holiness.
Of.
The place in which we stand now, the sword wants to drive out those enemies that took place took charge of the heavenlies, because the moment you and I began to enter into the place where we eat the old part of the land.
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We find that they're enemies in possession.
Heavenly, the wicked spirit. It would rob us of our inheritance.
And so the sword now in the captains hand is going to take care of that and he's going to lead the way. And he sent Hornets among them we remember in another place to drive out the enemy before.
So that his people might come into a good land and land flowing with milk and honey and land where there's no scarcest. What a land. What a land. Oh, you say yes. It's going to be nice when we get there. Brandon. Are you enjoying it now?
Now, well, that's the good land and the man with the sword.
So there's a man on high in the glory, leading his sin. Man now. Balaam fell on his face.
So that Josh remember.
Joshua worship. They look different.
Balaam was one who, although he was a prophet, would have to confess. I will see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh. There's a date coming when every eye shall see that blessed Satan come to the last time, to their everlasting destruction. Because we learned the sin available in the Book of Revelation, Book of Judgment.
His sin was to teach them to cast the stumbling block before the children of Israel.
That was his sin. No, but here Joshua worship. And so as we enter that good land.
As we this morning enjoyment together.
With all the people of God assembled here in worship all over the place, brethren.
Did we think back five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years when we didn't know Christ? Rather, how far have we come? And we've come just as far as the grace of God has brought us, and that's how far we've come. Where where are we? Well, we were in our sins, separated from God.
Now worshiping loose thy shoe off thy foot, for the place where thou standard is holy. Do you say, Well, I'm in the place, all right, it's holy. That's what the word of God says.
Does that pop us up or does it humble us?
All this has a bearing on the next sword that we have, and so we'll turn on.
To.
First Chronicles, 21.
Now we have.
These three shorts drawn our attention has been called in these meetings 2-3 and whatever else it may mean, it suggests to us, I believe, the completion of a work that God has undertaken down here.
We have 3IN connection with resurrection. We have 3IN connection with that poor man that lay in the field. In the 30th chapter. The first Samuel Davis found him on the third day, brought him to David. It speaks, I believe, of the completing of something that God has undertaken in the soul.
And that works, which he will perform until the day of Jesus Christ.
It's a wonderful experience to know that we have a guard as we go through this wilderness.
To know that the one who has taken us up is going to take us all the way home. Oh, how precious. Are you enjoying it?
Well, good to know too that we have a captain this week and we want to end as strangers. We'll go in with our captain. I believe that's the part of the 6th chapter of Hebrews. 4 owners for us entered. He's already there. Still, he's leading his sin. But now we have come to the third part.
And, you know, we were enjoying the second official, John. We didn't complete it and.
We enjoyed other things in place of it, but I'd like to call attention to the fact that we have three things there, the flesh and the world and the devil. Now in Luke's Gospel we have the same order, but I believe in keeping with that which applies to man morally, the order in which the enemy attacks the man. And the last one is what we have at the beginning of this 21St chapter.
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Now it could apply to an individual in these last days, it could apply to the nation of Israel, as no doubt it does here, but it's an attack of the enemy. First two are his wives, but the last one is wickedness. It's a direct attempt against God Himself. It's not just deceiving them. It's a direct attack to throw the whole thing over.
You know, brethren, whether we're aware of it or not, the enemy is seeking to crush the little testimonies to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whether we're aware of it or not.
The enemy is seeking to remove every trace.
Of the testimony of God in this earth.
Now, what will preserve the testimony, and what is the testimony? Whatever it may be, in all its weakness, it's still.
In God's hands is the maintaining of the glory of God on the earth in that measure, because God's glory is maintained down here through discipline in that sense, discipline. And you know, dear brethren, that's the ground of all true morality. I'm not. I'm quoting now someone else.
Is repentance and the confession of sin?
Repentance in the confession of sin.
And that's the subject we have here. We have come to the place now where.
Israel needs an advocate. We were having that before us at the meetings. We've had the high priest. I suppose that's Joshua's five. But here is the application and that little hymn. We noticed the guard, the guy and the advocate well.
Satan stood up against Israel. The first verse, the 21St chapter of First Christmas.
Stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the number Israel. David said that joy happens to the rulers of people. Go number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan. Bring the number of them to me that I may know it. Job answered. The Lord make his people in 100 times so many more as they be, but my Lord the king are not the Almighty Lord servants.
Why then, doth my Lord require this thing? Why will He be a cause of trespass to Israel?
Nevertheless, the King's word prevailed against Joy. Therefore Joy departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
Job gave the sum of the number of the people under David. All day of Israel were 1000 thousand and 100,000 men that drew the sword. Judah was 403 score 10,000 men that threw the sword.
That would be 1,570,000, I think. What a company that drew the sword in Israel. I'll think of it for a moment.
I don't know that there's never been that many men on the battlefield at once in the world's history. There will be greater numbers. Here's 1,570,000 men David had on his command. David was a man now of strength. The Moabites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Syrians were at his command. They were tributary.
David was a man now who was about to build the House of God.
And what has God said to him? In an earlier chapter he drew him aside and David sat down before the Lord.
And that's the way it was has been in these few days. Rather than together, we've been sitting in the presence of the Lord. And what has he been telling us? Just what he told David, what would happen to his house for a long time to come.
That he would establish his house forever.
What did he tell him This.
After this sad experience of David before.
He told him before that his house was established threatening before David sinned. That grace, oh it's grace spark off. Some of us were speaking together. Peter and his troubles trial.
But before the Lord said to Peter, Satan that desired to have you just like here, that he may sift you as we.
The Lord had said already I've appointed you a Kingdom.
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And you're going to sit on 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Why? Because God's purpose is one thing, in his governments another.
And just as sure as God is purpose, he's going to fulfill it, cost what it may or fulfill it. But remember also that his government goes on. It goes on as a completed his government. Now let's read a little further.
Seventh Verse. And God was displeased with this thing, therefore he smote Israel.
David said unto God, I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing, but now I beseech thee.
Do away the necrotie of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. Now that's very nice. You know, we'd like to have it done away with, but what does God say?
If His Holiness demanded that there be a Passover, what else does this hold in the man? The place we're now standards is holy ground. Now what David going to do? David's in trouble now. We don't have a man talking to Joshua.
We have an intermediary. We have something in between. In another passage, we learned that David was afraid of the Lord.
He might well be afraid of that sort. He might well be.
Go and tell David saying, Thus saith the Lord Ioffer thee three things, Choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee.
Either three years of famine, 3 months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtake thee, or else.
Three days, Lord of the Lord.
Now what does David choose? Choose the sword of the Lord. You know, it's a wonderful thing to be able to sit in the presence of the Lord and learn something of the heart of Christ. You know he'll never let one unnecessary tear fall.
Are you willing to place yourself in the hands of the Lord under his government? Why did David take the sword of the Lord? Oh he says I don't want to be in the hands of man because he says I know the Lords person. He knew the heart of Christ.
David expresses it in the third Psalm, but everyone was telling him if he ran Solomon, there's no use. If you're going to the Lord, look what you've done. David had He brought it all on himself. He married a Syrian woman.
That's why he had asked. God told him not to marry among the enemy. Oh dear young people here this afternoon, be careful.
But you don't put yourself in the place of David running from his own son. Could he raise the sword against his son? No, he had to run.
Oh, how real the government of God is, and how precious the heart of Christ is. And that third Psalm? Read it when you get home. We find David cries out Lord in the very first words.
And all the time he passed through that government of God, the wheels that continue to roll do not stop. He was enjoying the sympathies of Christ, He was enjoying communion, even though he was under the government approach. 14 First. So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel, and there fell of Israel 70,000 men.
God sent an Angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it.
And as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed it is enough, stay in our thine hands. And the Lord stood by the threshing floor of her Arnon the Jebusite David lifted up his eyes, and saw the Angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven.
Having a drawn sword in his hand.
Stretched out over Jerusalem.
Then David and the elders of Israel who were clothed in sackcloth fell upon their faces. Now, dear ones, have you seen any advancement in these three cases? In the 1St place, we see Balaam falling flat on his face. That's the end of Balaam. Oh, yes, there were. There was subsequent history, but it was all wickedness. And then he was slain in battle.
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All the ends of Balaam, the awful ends of Balaam, having seen all the blessings that were coming on God's people.
Yep.
But what about Joshua? He falls in his face that he worships, but now this case is different.
David is under the government of God.
Remember this, even though we bring it on ourselves, there's never an experience we go through. But what? Through grace, We're richer. Faith and evidence believe that. And so we have something richer here. We have something deeper. And notice then David and the elders of Israel.
Who were clothes in Sackalo? They were already closed in sackcloth. Now what Sackcloth. Well, if you've seen someone in the East and that day, I suppose clothes and sackcloth.
Would probably be black goats hair. You know, the king of Nineveh was clothed in sackcloth. So it was all his people and all the animals and that's why God spared the sins because they repented. And whatever else it may mean, I believe sackcloth.
Would indicate not only mourning, but the owning of the hand of God.
David was owning it for all his thoughts. He owned the hand of God upon him. They were clothed in sackcloth when they fell on their face. Supposing the sword now has been applied to Europe? You yourself individually? Supposing it's been applied to your house?
Supposing, dear brethren, it has been applied to your assembly, and that's what we have here. But the principle is true of an individual.
Or a house, or an assembly, or a nation supposing itself.
Here we have the divine order for restoration, for blessing. We're living in a day when there's trouble, trouble everywhere in the world and among the Saints. Do we have an order in Scripture for restoration, for blessing? Because God is not satisfied, you know, with simply dealing with evil. He hates putting away. God is satisfied with restoration. He's happy with it, and that's the end.
Of the whole purpose.
This sword we have here, David and the elders of Israel and justice in the 4th, the 12Th chapter of Matthew, it was the elders of Israel that conspired to put Jesus to death.
So we find.
In Joel two, it's the elders of Israel that drive between the porch and the altar when he removes the northern army from Israel. In the book of Ezekiel, it's the elders that come to the prophets.
When the question of restoration is blessed for Israel comes up, here we have David and the elders.
Held as Israel were clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. Now that's down in the dust. And you know, brethren, whether it be in my own case, if I should see him, or whether it be in the case of a household and the head of the house, or whether it be in the case.
Of an assembly or a nation.
Place is in the dust before there will be any restoration.
Oh, you say yes, that brother will have to get in the dust. You and I will have to get into the dust brother. And if I'm not mistaken, a brother called my attention wants to I I don't know, but I believe he called my attention to just mixed with water to be drunk in the place in scripture for restoration, but I'm not sure as to that.
Just why does that become us? Because that's what we are. That's what we are.
And if God is allowing something to take place in my household, because I need to be reminded, not just the one. And if it's so in an assembly, the whole assembly needs to be reminded that the places in the dust. But how?
Consciousness not only mourning, but the fact that God's hand is upon me.
Oh, you say? Oh no, that that brother he's the one. Or that sister me.
Why? Because the Lord Jesus took that place for us. And that's the character our dear brother has been telling us about following precious truth. Let's apply it now. Let's apply it. Is that the place for us and the dust? And I believe rather than that that's that's the case all the way through Scripture. In principle, one doesn't mean to take any more time. But remember Risma?
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The second in the second Samuel 21 I think it is.
Remember, Brisbane was not even guilty, as far as we know, having anything to do.
With the evil and the famine that was in Israel, and her seven sons that were hanged on a tree, as far as we know were not even guilty men. Their brother David says it was slain a righteous man in his own house, on his own bed. And yet Rizba, who loses these sons?
She takes that cloth, she spreads it on the rock for her. You know what happened? God restored blessing to Israel because she reminded David of his responsibility. Oh, how the Spirit of God can use one sister or one brother in the right state of soul.
Store in the cell phone how quickly one brother in the wrong state of soul can just ruin things in themselves. How quickly the reverse could be true. The Spirit of God is working in a soul.
By example.
Well, David said unto God, is it not I, the commanders, the people, to be numbered? Now that's the beginning of blessing, is it not I?
Oh, how beautiful when those who take the lead on it. How beautiful, brethren.
That's the Spirit of Christ.
And I'm sure David is a type of Christ, even though in this case David was the offender.
But it was because of the state of Israel.
It was all of God's people that sinned, even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed. But As for these sheep, what have they done? Well, that's great. That's marvelous grace. These sheep, what have they done?
David takes the whole thing, the whole plane. Oh, how marvelous, President, if any little way we can manifest Christ, the Spirit of Christ in our lives down here.
And all what an opportunity, brethren, if there's trouble, what a challenge for the heart, if there is trouble to be able to manifest the Spirit of Christ. And let's not deny it. There's trouble. Let's not deny it. Let's not hide our faces from it. Oh, how the enemy is has stood up. If you if you read in 12Th chapter of Daniel, you see how Michael stands up for the people of God.
It's the same principle, but there's Michael.
Bring blessing to Israel here. Satan is going to try to ruin them. He stood up. He's taken his place. He's determined that he's going to rule them. And when was it?
Just before the glory.
In the next few chapters, we see Solomon taking the throne.
Glory rather than the right at the very virtue of the glory. Now that's when they Satan stood up. That's when Satan wants to crush everything and ruin everything and take all the joy out of the hearts of God's people.
Here's the divine formula. But this isn't all.
Then the Angel of the Lord commanded God to say to David.
That David should go up and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of ornament Jebusite. Now why is the threshing floor set up here? Why is the threshing floor set up some place where God had ordered things in the 1St place? It wasn't the altar set up in some place where God had originally ordered things.
Although that won't do, Israel has defiled it. There has to be a new ground. It has to be on the ground of God's sovereignty. And unless you and I recognize that, there will be blessing if we say, well, everything is all right, let's get back to our original order and everything will be all right.
Fashion of sin, failure, confession, not accept God come in and his sovereignty.
There will not be any blessing that can't remember everything from the past. Oh, David would like to push it aside and find a way whereby he'd get out of it.
And now David's going through the prescribed order, the altar, when we go down to the end 26th verse. And David built there in order of the Lord and offered burnt offerings, peace offering. Now Arden has suggested that he offer burnt offerings.
And then he offered me off. But David doesn't do that. He offers burnt offerings and peace offering. You know, it's a precious thing that once the Spirit of God begins to restore the soul, how much light there is.
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Was David afraid of the Lord? He certainly was.
If you call on the Father past the time of your sojourn here in fear.
He judged without respect to persons. Now David has come a long way. David has benefited by this experience that he's beginning to rise in his soul.
Back to the original places, Meat offerings were precious all. How precious.
But now he's come into the place of liberty.
Alongside of the burnt offering, the burnt offering, Speaking of all the excellencies of Christ, is known to the Father you and I will never enter into, but also the peace offering that brings us in, just like the Gospel of Luke brings us right into the place of blessing and the enjoyment of it. Rest.
Of heart, peace. That's what it is. Peace. That's what David did. And that's the end of the path of restoration.
Liberty, peace. Well now you notice that the sword 27th verse after the fire comes down from heaven, and God owns it.
Then the sword is put up in its sheath.
Blessing is restored, but that's not all.
Within thy clothes.
In the next chapter we find against the old the House of the Lord.
Wouldn't you like blessings? Wouldn't you like blessings, dear brethren, in the little assembly or in your own home, wherever it may be? This is the prescribed formula.