Address—A.C. Hayhoe
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I would like to turn tonight to a portion of the Word of God that I'm sure is quite familiar to all of you, and I've no doubt that most of you have heard this scripture spoken on a number of times already.
But I would like to use as my apology for turning to it again.
A passage in Second Peter, chapter one.
Which passage was brought to our attention recently at the meeting? Second Peter, chapter one, verse 12.
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things.
Though he know them and be established in the present truth. Yeah, I think it means as long as I am in this Tabernacle.
To stir you up by putting you in remembrance.
It seems to me that these two verses.
Present an apology for turning again and again to those portions of the Word of God in which we may already be well established. So perhaps we could turn back to the prophet Nehemiah. The book of Nehemiah will begin with a few thoughts from the first chapter. I'm taking it for granted that most here are rather familiar already.
With the history of God's people, Israel, that precedes that which we have here in the book of Nehemiah.
Chapter one, verse one, the words of Nehemiah the son of Hakalai. And it came to pass in the month Chiselu in the 20th year, as I was in Shushan the palace.
Now I'd like to stop and speak about this a moment. This was written by Nehemiah and he mentions in the very opening verse.
That he was in Shushan, the palace. That sounds like a very pleasant place to be. In fact, we find as we read further in this book that Nehemiah was anything but a visitor in that palace. He was a very trusted officer there. The last words of this first chapter would tell us I was the king.
King's Cup bearer.
That might sound to us in this present day like rather a menial task, but I believe if we were to look back at the history of the days in which this was written, we would find that the King's cup bearer was definitely the right hand man to the King.
His most trusted Prime Minister. Now here we find Nehemiah in a position of dignity and honor and living in a palace. But news reaches the ear of this man Nehemiah that immediately stirs him to the depth of his heart.
Verse 2 Hannah and I, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah.
And I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words.
But I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
I admire this, and I covet this. Here was a man, I say, who had a position of honor and dignity, the man who lived in a palace, a man who liked nothing but this world might afford.
And yet we find this man in fasting and weeping and prayer. What is the burden of his heart? Is it his job? Is it his home? Is it his health? No, beloved, it is the state of God's beloved people that is burdening the heart of Nehemiah and causing him to be found.
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In fasting and prayer before the Lord.
All beloved Saints of God, as I read this verse, I wonder if we know anything of the Spirit that moved the heart of his dear man Nehemiah, as you and I look around among those who belong to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Is there stirring within the heart of any of us this spirit that we see in Nehemiah?
Do you or I know anything about what it is to be found on our faces?
Fasting and weeping and praying. Not because of our own personal difficulties, because of a state.
Of those who know not Christ as their Savior. And because of the state of the Lord's beloved people, I can only speak it with a feeling in my own soul of how little I know of this spirit that is described in the 1St 3 verses of Nehemiah 1.
And I noticed too, as we go down the chapter, we won't take time to read it all, but as Nehemiah pours out his heart before the Lord, he doesn't point his finger. He doesn't accuse this one or that one of having been guilty of such gross carelessness, but he does say in the latter part of verse 6.
We have sinned against thee, both I and my Father's house.
Of sinned, he Nehemiah personally falls down upon his face in fasting and weeping and earnest, fervent prayer, and takes his place and owns before God that he, Nehemiah, is part of the fallen, indifferent state of God's beloved people.
Is there any one of us here that would like to stand up and say, but I am not part of that fallen condition?
I stand alone in faithfulness to the Lord.
There was one man who spoke thus in the Old Testament.
And it's a very striking thing that in all the verses of the New Testament, the failure of the Old Testament believers is completely hidden from view, with one exception. And that one exception is the failure of that dear servant, faithful and devoted though he was, who stood up and said, I am left alone.
And they seek my life.
He interceded to God against Israel. Romans 11 records it.
Dear Elijah.
Oh, what a lesson there is for us in this, I believe, dear fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You and I may well be found on our faces before the Lord, not excusing ourselves and accusing others, but on our face that by the wonderful grace of God, there might be found in these last moments while we wait for His return.
That fresh spirit that he longs to see that we pass through this world.
In separation from all that it has to offer, and in glad, joyful waiting for the moment when we're going to hear his voice.
And see his face Well, you notice in the last verse of his first chapter. Oh Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and the prayer of Thy servants, who desire to fear thy name.
Could there not be a searching of heart among us that this might be more truly known in our ways?
A desire to fear thy name.
It seems to me to be a warning that runs throughout the pages of the Word of God.
And in the very last book of the Old Testament, we find that God records with infinite delight in His book of remembrance the names of those who thought upon his name. A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon.
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His name, just to think that that is so precious to his heart.
That He delights to remind us that it is being recorded. And as you and I were busy about this and that through the day that is just passing from us, was there that which He could record with joy and with thankfulness? Was there that in your life and mine today that could be recorded by Him?
As a wholesome fear of the Lord, and a reverend and loving thought upon His name.
Well, it's really my intention to try to get over to the third chapter.
But a certain background is necessary. The children of Israel have been restored from the years of their captivity in the book of Ezra. The altar has been set upon his bases. Sacrifice has been offered to the Lord.
The foundations of the House of the Lord have been laid, and now we find.
That Nehemiah, receiving word of the plight of his brethren there in Jerusalem, finds his heart stirred within him, that he might be privileged to go and be of some help and of some encouragement to his dear brethren in their troubles.
And the one burden of his heart very specially seems to be that he would like to see the wall of Jerusalem and its gates reestablished to the shelter and protection and welfare of God's dear people.
Now I'm sure he knew before ever he started out that he wasn't going to find it too easy, but I sometimes wonder if he anticipated all the problems that he was going to meet with. And I want to tell you this right now, beloved brother or sister in the Lord.
That if you want to walk through this world to the glory of God and in separation from that which this world has to offer, you will find two things.
You will find a deep peace and joy in your soul that only the Lord can give, and you will also find unceasing opposition from this world with the arch enemy of your soul behind it in the second chapter of Nehemiah.
We're going to have to just skip verse by verse. In the 10th verse of the second chapter, you will find the names of certain ones who stood out as ringleaders in this.
Determined opposition.
Stand ballot the horror night and told by the servant the ammonite heard of it It grieved them exceedingly that there was common man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. Verse 19. I'd like you to try to remember these three names because they turn up from time to time in what we have yet to look at when sand ballot the horror night and Tobiah the servant the ammonite and Gichem the Arabian herd it.
Us to scorn and despise us, and said, What is this thing that he do? Will he rebel against the King? That answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build. But he have no portion or right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.
What we find here the names of three ringleaders in mockery and in opposition to this project that Nehemiah had in mind.
And you would notice, too, if you traced them, that they were some of them blood relatives of those who had this desire to live for the glory of God where God had established His name, and to live with a wall that separated them from the enemies of the Lord. And I believe we have found that too, have we not?
We have found sometimes that in seeking to walk in obedience to the Word of God.
And in separation to the Lord Jesus Christ. But the opposition sometimes comes from the most unexpected directions. Those whom we perhaps had hoped might have been an encouragement to us sometimes display the attitude that is spoken of in verse 10 and in verse 19.
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In verse 10, they were very grieved about it.
And in verse 19, they lacked the whole matter to scorn. But so far, Nehemiah is totally unmoved by this. And I would just love to encourage the dearly beloved young people here this evening.
That if you and I wish to walk for the glory of God, wish to walk with this blessed book as the DAILY GUIDE of our pathway.
That we needn't expect the acclaim and the approval of all those whom we meet with, even from all those who are fellow believers. That may sound like a rather harsh statement to make. Nevertheless, I believe many of us have found it to be true.
It's one thing to know that our sins are forgiven and to know that we are on our way homeward to the glory.
But it's another thing, beloved, to realize that we belong to the one who paid redemptions price for I feel that little word redeemed bears with a far more profound thought than simply the forgiveness of our sins. One who is redeemed belongs to him who paid.
Redemptions wondrous price.
May I give a little illustration? In the railway compartment of a train in England One day there were three young men sitting, and just before the train pulled out a fourth young man entered the compartment. And as soon as the train started, one of these young men put his hand in his pocket and produced a deck of cards and began to shuffle them.
And offered some to the first young man and to the second.
And to the newcomer. But the newcomer made no effort to accept them. He simply smiled and said sorry. Sorry gentleman, but I don't use those. You see, I don't have any hands.
Well, they looked at him in amazement, for he had a normal pair of hands. So he held up his hands and said, well maybe I should explain. He said, you see these hands don't belong to me. Well, I didn't seem to help the situation very much, so we explained further. He said these hands belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have been redeemed by His precious blood.
Did they coax him further? You know they didn't. Nor will they coax you or me if we take a stand as those who are redeemed, beloved with the precious blood of Christ. And all if that which we say this evening seems to touch upon the borders of legality, I trust dearly beloved brethren, in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let you bear with me in this thought.
The whole separation to the Lord Jesus Christ can never be called legality. We belong to Him. He paid redemptions price and were passing through a world that spit in His face and crucified Him. And never, never have they changed their minds as to what they have done. Some time ago I believe I mentioned this. It had long been.
A sort of vague dream of mine that Sunday I might stand in that land where my savior once trod. I never expected to realize that, but it.
Turned out to be my unexpected privilege to be there. I was going through the streets of Jerusalem.
And I came to Mount Zion and I climbed to the top of Mount Zion, and I stood there looking about.
At that city where my Lord Jesus Christ had been rejected and cast out and crucified. And I had expected that my heart would just be thrilled with the excitement of a long fulfilled ambition. But instead of that, I stood there with a strange feeling.
Of sadness in my soul, for I realized that I was looking upon the city that had rejected my Lord Jesus Christ.
And I realized, as I tried to speak to one another about that precious Savior, that they had never, never, never changed their minds as to what they had done. And I went back to my room that night with a very sad and heavy heart. And that feeling, beloved, is not limited to the land in which our Lord once lived.
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I think you realize as you and I go in and out among our workmates or our schoolmates, that we are living and studying and working among those whose hearts are determined in their opposition.
To the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, suppose we begin.
Chapter 3.
They are now about to build a wall.
A wall which will surround their dwellings and which will keep them in separation from the enemy on the other side of that wall. They have already been made to feel the opposition of that enemy. It's listed in subsequent chapters in more subtle ways and in more outspoken ways, but they're already well aware of the fact that there are enemies to contend with.
And aware of the need of this wall, now verse one of chapter 3.
Then Elijah shipped the high priest, rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they builded the sheep gate. They sanctified it and set up the doors of it even under the tower of Mia. They sanctified it under the tower of Hannah Neil.
Now, in meditating on this chapter a little bit, I hope you will bear in mind this comment that I am by no stretch of the imagination a scholar. I don't even know the Greek alphabet. But if I make from time to time a little reference to the original meaning of some of these names, you'll just remember that I took the trouble to look it up in reliable Hebrew lexicons and.
It's not the result of my own research or scholarship.
I say that because I believe that all these names listed have a profound and wonderful meaning.
Elijah the high priest rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they builded the sheep gate, the very first gate in this wall within which there was to dwell God's own beloved people, with the joy of having the name of Jehovah in their midst.
The joy of having the House of the Lord established there. The first gate of all, my dear friend, is the sheep gate.
Isn't that marvelous? I love the gospel of the grace of God.
I find it hard not to spend the rest of the evening talking about this sheep gate.
Because I believe it would remind us that the very first requisite for all the blessing that belongs inside that wall hinges upon this fact. Are you, by the wonderful grace of God, numbered among these redeemed sheep of His own purchase?
The Sheep Gate swung between two towers, the Tower of Mia and the Tower of Hannah Neil.
Mia is the simple Hebrew word meaning 100.
Hannah Neil is a compound Hebrew word meaning the Lord is gracious.
Now that seems rather strange, but to me it seems very marvelous.
That by the direction of the Spirit of God, this first gate, the sheep gate, should swing between these two glorious towers, the tower of Mia 100 and the tower of Hannah Neil. The Lord is gracious, doesn't it? Take our thoughts to the 15th chapter of Luke.
And there we see those sheep being numbered that evening 96.
979899 That's all.
There were only 99 sheep that night, so the shepherd closed the gate and said, well, there's only one missing. Is that the way the story ends? No, beloved, the Lord is gracious.
And that gate would not be closed until #100.
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Is safely within the fold. And here away back in the third chapter of Nehemiah, as the sheep gate is builded, it swings between two towers #100 And the Lord is gracious. And I stand here tonight and say with all my heart, thank God for the matchless grace that looked down upon me.
In all my guilt and distance and rebellion of heart against him.
And would not close that sheep gate until #100 was brought into. Have you been numbered among those redeemed sheep? Have you looked at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ? That of all that it cost him to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and turned away from it?
And you're not yet numbered among those who are his own.
I believe it well to mention also that this is the only gate recorded as being builded in this chapter that had no locks or bars upon it. There may be well more than one reason for that, but I have a feeling that the basic reason was perhaps to be found in Elisha the High Priest himself, for this is not the last time we read about.
Dear Elijah.
The high priest think of that.
What an honored, privileged, responsible position was his the first name mentioned and to him was granted the responsibility, the honor, the privilege of building the sheep gate. I hesitate to turn to the other references to this dear man because they're sad references. Will you turn over with me, please, to the 20th verse?
After him repaired Baruch the son of Zabi, I after him Barrack, the son of Zabi, I earnestly repaired the other piece.
From the turning of the wall unto the door of the House of Elisha, the high priest after him repaired Mary Moth, the son of Urijah, the son of Cause, another piece from the door of the House of Elijah.
Even to the end of the House of Eliaship. Why do I turn to these verses? Because they speak very loudly and with much searching to my own heart.
If you wish was Elijah with the solemn responsibility of building the sheep gate? If you wish, he was engaged in gospel activity. But dear Elisha was neglecting something. He was neglecting a responsibility that ought to have had.
First place in his life. And that was the responsibility, beloved, that you and I, each one ought to feel.
The responsibility Is there a wall in front of your own home? Is there a wall, I say, in front of your own home? Is there in your home life and mine? Is there in your family life and mine that which would bear witness to the fact that we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ?
And that the prayer and desire of our hearts together before God is that.
Children shall not be brought up for the honor and friendship and esteem and prestige that this poor world offers to them. I'm a father and it searches my heart to say these things, but I sometimes feel that I'm somewhat in the position of Eli Ship. Eli Ship was away from home.
Building the sheep gate, the liar should neglected the responsibilities of his own home.
And there were two men who observed that lack one of them. His name was Barrack, And you notice that it says of him he earnestly repaired the other piece from the turning of the wall unto the door of the House of Elijah of the high priest. Elisha must have seen this. Each day as he came home from his laborers on the sheep gate, he would observe this man building a wall nearer and nearer and nearer, right to the very door of his own home.
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And when Baruch left off, Mary Moth, the son of your rides of the Son of Cause, took over, and what did he do?
He also built another piece from the door of the House of Elisha, even to the end of the House of Eliaship. You turn back to verse 4. Next unto them repaired Mary Ma, the son of your Raja, the son of Koz. You see, Mary Ma had already fulfilled his own particular responsibility.
He had already builded that piece which was entrusted to him.
And it seems to me that he notices a lack in the home of Eliaship the high priest. He notices that there is a carelessness there and Elijah has not seen to the responsibility of a wall in front of his own home.
Why should Mary Moth be concerned about this? Why not someone else? We've all wondered why the Word of God gives us these unusual names and their father and their grandfather and so on. And we sometimes just wade through these names and try to pronounce them and let it go with that. But I believe if we meditate in a little, we would find that there is a searching reason for these things. Mary Ma.
The son of Urijah, the son of 'cause you remember that in the days of Ezra there were certain priests who were polluted, put from the priesthood, because they had made an unholy alliance in marriage, and they were barred they and their families from the privileges of the priesthood. There are two names given there, and Cause Kos is one of them, the grandfather of Marymount.
The grandfather of Marymoth had been a privileged priest in Israel.
Cause had married an unholy alliance. He had lost the privileges of the priesthood for himself and for his descendants. And Mary Moss might have been very bitter about this.
But instead of that, he saw the same thing happening in the household of Elias Ship. And with God-given courage and faithfulness, he set about to build a wall right in front of the very home, and if you wish, under the very nose.
Of a lie should the high priest.
Beloved, that required courage.
I can well imagine the risk that he ran of having Elijah come home at night and saying if I want a wall in front of my home, I'll see to it myself.
But I believe Mary Moth was a man of God who saw the lack, that observed the danger and had the God-given courage to step in the breach.
I say this because if you turn over the last chapter of Nehemiah.
And read the 28th verse you will see I believe.
Why Marymount was so concerned that this gap in the wall ought to be built. One of the sons of joy to the son of Eli Shiba, High Priest, was son-in-law to send ballot the horror night. Therefore I chased him from me. His own son went through that opening in the wall.
He didn't want separation for his family. He wanted his son to be popular and to have friends, even though those friends were among the enemies of the Lord. When I first noticed this, and I read it, and my beloved wife and I meditated on it together, I brought it to the attention of our brethren back home in the assembly at Smith Falls, and I begged them.
To be a merry moth to our family during their father's absence. Beloved, don't be annoyed if someone lays a hand on your shoulder and speaks a faithful word of warning.
And urges upon you that path of separation which they perhaps see lacking in your home or in your family. Take it from the Lord.
We have seen, we have seen with tears of sorrow, the heartache that results from the failure that is described here in the pattern of Elijah, the high priest, a diligent man, a man who diligently build the sheep gate but neglected the wall in front of his own home.
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And I believe we all know why.
Our hearts are all the same. We want our families to be popular. We want them to have a wide circle of friends and those who know not. The Lord will recognize in your children and in mine those capabilities which can be turned to good advantage and which can elevate them in the eyes of this world.
And make them esteemed and popular. And we say to ourselves, But I won't let it go too far.
I'll just allow it to go so far and then we'll just have to somehow hope that it can be checked.
Oh, my beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, permit me to remind my own heart and yours also this night, that we have in the Word of God a pattern of holy, joyful separation to the Lord Jesus Christ. It may mean a wall between ourselves and the world which knows Him not.
A law which they may resent, our children may resent it, and the world may mark and laugh at it. But beloved, your children will grow up to thank you for it. I don't like to say some of these things that I remember when I was going to high school in Ottawa.
There were certain things during our years at high school that were very appealing to me, very attractive.
And I came home with the suggestion that might I please be allowed to participate in this, to attend that, to join the other. I think some of you here know my father pretty well. Can you guess what his answer was? His answer was no, my son. And he turned to the various scriptures that moved his heart in these decisions.
But that didn't satisfy me, I said. But Father.
So and so is in my room at school and his father and mother are in the meeting and he is allowed to go. He is allowed to join these things. He is allowed to participate. Why can't I?
Perhaps you can picture the answer. Do you suppose my father said? Well, all right, son, I guess it will be all right. I think you knew my father well enough to know the answer already.
With a restraint which I did not appreciate, his answer still was number.
And I didn't like it. I envied the other boy, and I wished my parents were as easy on me as his parents were on him. But I'll tell you the rest of the story.
That man now sits in meeting with a vacant chair beside him. He went out through the gap in the wall and his father and mother left for him. He married an unbeliever. He is now restored in his soul and attend the meeting but sits there with a vacant chair beside him.
And I sit there by the grace of God.
With one beside me who loves to walk to plead the Lord Jesus.
Thank God that I turned and again and again thank my father.
And my mother for building that wall between me and this world which seemed so attractive in the days when I didn't have the moral courage that they could stand on my own behalf. Are there children here and young people here who perhaps have a heart? The deceitful of mine was in my youth. And you want those things that father and mother are withholding from you?
Are there fathers and mothers here? They're finding it difficult to bring your children up in separation.
I'm going to repeat to you when I heard our beloved brother Al Larson say in Des Moines number of years ago, and I'll pause here to say that I heard just before meeting that our beloved brother Al Larson is in the hospital in Wortham, TX with pneumonia and needs our prayers. He mentioned in Des Moines the case of a lady riding on the train and behind her was.
Little daughter and a babysitter. That's the way Brother Lars mentioned it, so you'll have to excuse me if I imitate him. He seemed to have very little esteem for people that couldn't even be troubled to entertain their own children on a railway journey. But he said after the journey had gone on a little way, the babysitter said no, no, no, you mustn't have that.
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And presently again the babysitter said no, no, no, my dear, you mustn't have that.
And it was more than this mother, who was busy reading a novel, could stand. So she turned around and said, let her have it, whatever it is, let her have it. So presently the little child let out an awful howl. And the mother turned around and said, I told you to let her have it, whatever it is.
The babysitter said she has it, she's been trying to catch a bumblebee on the window pane. And then Brother Larson stood there and wept. Brother Larson stood there before us all and he wept. He said, Oh dear fathers and mothers, how awesome have I seen this?
That a father and a mother, in the fear of the Lord, will lay a godly hand of restraint upon their dear children.
And then relax it and see to their sorrow that which is the result of it. Well, it wasn't my intention to spend so long, and we're only at the first verse, but I believe there are very, very needful letters from the sad story of Eliaship. Next unto him billed as a man of jury code, next unto them billed as Baker, the son of Emory.
You'll find that very, very seldom do we read of anyone building.
All alone you notice a lion ship with his brethren the priests.
The man of Jericho, and next unto them builded the Zaker, the son of Emory, all alone, nobody with him. That's hard to do, isn't it? It's not too difficult to take a stand that we feel to be for the glory of God and in obedience to His Word, when there are others who stand shoulder to shoulder with us, and share with us the same exercises which we believe are found in the Word of God. But there are times.
When we meet with those who by the grace of God.
Stand alone.
And it is a test for them. I can recall some of them now in my travels, whom I have found standing alone for the glory of God. And are they unhappy? Indeed they're not.
For they are really not alone after all, are they? I can think of one dear sister right now, who was, as this world would say, alone for a long time in her faithful stand according to the truth of the Word of God.
And the joyful testimony of her heart and the neighborhood where she lived was that which was a blessing to my soul. And I'm sure she will receive a great reward in the day that's coming.
The third verse, the fish gate did the sons of Hassanaya Bill, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. You notice the distinction here, locks the bars.
Why did the fish gate come next? Well, to my own soul, the thought is this.
That once you and I, by the wonderful grace of God, find ourselves numbered among those who are His redeemed sheep, the very next desire of our heart ought to be that we should also be numbered among the fishers of men. Surely, if you and I are sheltered by His most precious blood and know that we are on our way home to glory, we cannot pass by the multitudes of those who are lost.
Indifferent to their need. The fish gate.
I believe it indicates the desire which I hope will be stirred much more earnestly within each of our hearts, that we might be numbered among those privileged to be fishers of men. And I just must pause here at this moment to appeal to you as from the heart of God who loves you.
Do you really personally know the Lord Jesus?
Christ as your Savior. I have asked that question at the close at the door of a gospel meeting and had some very surprising answers from those whom I hoped.
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To have been the Lord. Sometimes there is just the hanging of the head and no answer at all. It is with joy I stand here and tell you that as a poor lost Sinner on my way to hell, God loved me and sent the Lord Jesus to redeem me. He shed His precious blood that my sins might be blotted out.
And I rejoice in any little measure to be numbered among those who seek for souls as a Fisher of men.
And so I just paused to ask you tonight if that of which we have been speaking sounds strange to your ears. Perhaps it's because you have never yet taken your place as one who is outside of all this blessing, one who has not has yet received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, and have the joy of knowing now, this very moment, that your sins are gone.
By the cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ.
The name Hassania actually means thorny.
The Hebrew word for thorny. And there again, I believe the suggestion would be that you and I need not expect it to be an easy, pleasant, popular path to go hit her and thither with the gospel of God's wondrous grace. Folks don't like to be interrupted rudely with the reminder that they're on their way to eternity. They like, rather, to look around and try to make the best of what they might possess here.
And give little or no thought to that which lies beyond. And if you and I wish to be faithful in the gospel, we needn't expect it to be a smooth and easy path. Verse 4. Next unto them repaired Mary Moth. We have read this already, a son of Urijah, the son of Cause. Next unto them repaired Mashalam, the son of Berakaya.
The son of Meshazabile. Could we just take a little time to think about this man Mushalam?
If any of you wish to confirm these things, it's easy to look at up in a in a lexicon. Mashallah is the Hebrew word for Fran, the Hebrew word for Fran. And I believe we find in a case of dear Mashallah much the same as we found in the case of Eliaship the high priest. Would you like to turn over to chapter?
Six verse 17.
I suggested that we try to remember the names of Sanballat and Tobias, and as being the ringleaders of opposition to the people of God. Verse 17. Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters under Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them, for there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law.
Of Shekinah, the son of Era, and his son Johannan had taken the daughter of Masholam.
The daughter of Michelin, the son of Berakaya.
In the case of Elisha, it was his son that went out through that park where there was no wall. In the case of Mushroom, it was his daughter who went out and mingled among the unbelievers. And we noticed in this same chapter of ours, the 30th chapter.
Pardon me the third chapter and the 30th verse. Nehemiah 3, verse 30.
After him repaired Hananiah, the son of Shalomiah, and Hanan, the sixth son of Zelath, another piece after him repaired Mushulam the son of Berakaya, over against his chamber again. It seems to have been with him an act that was too late. Too late he builded over.
Against his chamber.
There will thy believe after the damage had been done, after he had lost his daughter to this ungodly world, there was the final building of the wall over against his chamber. They love it, bread. And I know that we've been wandering from verse to verse and we've been going in and out among some strange names. But there's a lesson here that all high trust.
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It may be written upon our very hearts and souls, and that.
Is this that the Lord Jesus who loved us and who died to redeem us, wants us holy for himself? Is He not entitled to this and is it not true? You and I know it full well that those who are walking in the path of separation to the Person and the worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Are those who are?
Happy in their pathway, those who are radiant in their old age. I have watched some of the dear Saints of God come near the end of their journey, and what do I see? Oh, I see, it seems to me that in the measure in which Christ has been precious to their heart during their journey here, in that measure, the last days of such are filled with radiant expectations.
And what are they experiencing now that to which they looked forward all through their lives? I believe the pattern of this chapter, which we've just begun to look at, unfolds in such a way that it should apply individually and personally.
To my heart and to your heart as an individual. That is, that there ought to be with each and every one of us that loving, prayerful purpose of heart that there might be with us a wall of separation.
That would keep us in the joy of the Lord's own presence and keep us from that which is so contrary to His mind and will. Not only is it a personal matter, but I believe it also. As we see here and later on in the chapter, it is also a family matter and an assembly matter. Our time is gone and there is so much more to this chapter.
It seems to me that by far the best part lie yet ahead for us. I'm just going to make note of one more thing in the fifth verse. Perhaps it might end with a note of encouragement for us.
The fifth verse of the third chapter. Next unto them a Ticoites repaired, but their nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord.
You know, I am very, very sure that as these nobles.
Did their share of work on the wall that they didn't for one moment entertain the thought that the very way in which they did it was going to be written down for you and I to read about it in Buena Park tonight? I'm sure it was the very last thought in their mind that the way in which they laid those stones in place was being observed.
And recorded.
And would remain recorded forever.
Do you think about that too?
Do I think about that too? Is there one who observes whether you and I are following these things in faithfulness to the Lord? Do you and I entertain perhaps the thought that we are going to try to slip through this world with just as little adversity and difficulty as we possibly can?
And hope that that will be the beginning and ending of our responsibility.
God records that these nobles put not their next to the work of the Lord. They did, I suppose, what was entrusted to them, but they didn't put their heart and soul into it. That must have been a little tendency toward discouragement to the others, don't you think?
There is, I have no doubt. They looked after these nobles and they thought, well, they're not putting their next to the work, so why should I? And after all, they're the nobles, so if they're not too much interested.
I don't see why I should be. And we're inclined to look around at others, are we not?
And see the measure of diligence, of devotedness, of separation, that we see in others, and to be so affected and sometimes so hindered by it. But if you turn again a little later on in this chapter, you will find in the 27th verse.
That by the wonderful grace of God, instead of being discouraged after them, the Ticoites repaired another piece. No, those are not mentioned here, But apparently the fact that the nobles put not there next to the work of the Lord, a load was observed and recorded, did not discourage.
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Others from doing even more than their share.
All dear Saints of God.
I feel that we have not really gotten into this subject yet. I feel the pattern that follows is that which is much, much, much sweeter to my own soul. Perhaps it's been more negative what we've had tonight. Perhaps it has sounded like restrictions and restraints and warnings that all. Beloved, will you pardon me for saying that as I go about?
And see the sorrows that have come into the hearts and homes and assemblies of God's people.
Through this very neglect, my heart is burdened. My heart is burdened with a sense of my own responsibility as I see our own dear teenage children growing up at home. And I know that there are parents here that share with me that burden. You're facing problems that only you know in your own soul before the Lord, but I assure you of.
That there is light and wisdom to be found for you in the pages of this book.
Seek that wisdom on your knees before the Lord, and it will not be denied. You Don't look around to see what others are doing in answer to those problems, but seek it on your knees and on your faces before the Lord. And I assure you that there will be the richest blessings of God in your own life, in the lives of your dear children.
And among you also has gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
For this matter of separation is, I beg of you to remember, no negative affairs. I've used this illustration, and I used it here, but I repeat it because it seems to me to illustrate separation in a way that perhaps might cause us to accept it in a spirit that is by no means legal.
The illustration that impresses itself upon my heart is that which occurred a year and a half ago.
When I walked up the aisle of this decorated hall, back in our own area with our daughter Gracie holding my arm, and when we got to the front of the aisle, he took her arm out of mine and slipped her arm through a young man named Donnie Rule.
Feel a kind of lump in your throat when that happens. But I sat down with what I thought was a smile. But the pictures after revealed that.
I guess I wasn't smiling as I thought I was. Well, the procedure went on and she was faced with a question. Something like this.
Do you promise that forsaking all other, you will cleave to him only so long as he both shall live? What would you expect her to say? Would you expect her to say, wait a moment, That sounds rather legal. That sounds rather restricting. That sounds like separation. What did you say?
Plea to him only so long as we both shall live.
There was none of that, I assure you, she said I do, in a voice that could be heard all over the hall. It's what I expected her to say, and there was a ring of joy in her voice when she said it. Brethren, I ask you, is that separation? Yes, it is.
Is it legal ******* of some kind? No, indeed it isn't. I have been in that kind of ******* for 23 years, and it's been the happiest 23 years of my life. And I just want to present to you tonight, my beloved brethren and sisters in Christ, that the one who inspired the writing of the third chapter of Nehemiah loves your soul and wants you to know the joy.
The joy of that kind of separation which draws the heart nearer and nearer. The one who loved us unto death, the one who sees the danger that you and I cannot see in this world with all its attraction.