Conference: 1982
Table of Contents
Dispensational Truth 1
Dispensational Truth 2
God's Desire for Worshippers
God's Purpose for Israel
Revealed Mysteries in New Testament
The Church, the Assembly and Conduct Suited to the Place
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Perhaps we could turn first of all to Matthew chapter 16 and verse 13, Matthew 16 and verse 13. When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that? I say that I, the Son of Man AM? And they said, some say that the Baptist, Sam, Elias and others Jeremiah are one of the prophets. He says unto them.
Whom sayeth I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven.
And I say also under thee that thou appear, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Well, I believe that this is the first revelation of the truth of the church that we find in the Bible. In the Old Testament, God dealt with a special people, a privileged people, the nation of Israel. He called them out from among the nations.
And then he made them the specs of his dealing ways.
Out of His favor, and as it tells us in the 5th chapter of Isaiah, what more could have been done in my vineyard that I have not done in it? And then it says the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plants. And so God picked those that nation, He did everything that could be done, gave them most wonderful laws, separated them from the other nations, other nations.
Gave them that beautiful temple.
Approach into his presence. All these things were given to them as a favored nation, but we know the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew came down and presented himself to that nation. To that nation. John chapter 1 Says He came unto his own and his own received him not. He was rejected by the very ones that he had come to bless.
And so the Lord takes his disciples here to the very utmost limits of the land of Israel. And he asked them the question, whom the men say that I, the Son of Man, am? Now they surely ought to have known, because they had the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, they had the testimony of John the Baptist, and they had the testimony of the Lord's life and works.
All ought to have pointed and shown them who the Lord Jesus really was.
But isn't it strange, the various opinions that they had? And so it will always be, unless we are taught by the word of God, unless we are taught by the Holy Spirit, why we will always have our own opinion. But it's very important that we set aside our own opinion in the things of God.
The Scripture says of the man thinketh that he knoweth anything. You know of nothing yet as he ought to know it. Because the only way we can learn truth is through the one who is the truth, the one who said I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh under the Father, but by me. So with these various opinions about who the Lord Jesus is.
But Peter openly confessed who that blessed person is.
And I just paused to say here, if there's anyone here tonight who doesn't yet know him as your own personal Savior, I trust that tonight you will be brought to know Him. The Scripture says, acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace thereby good shall come of it. And to be acquainted with the Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior, as the one who went to Calvary and died for you, is the beginning of all blessing for our souls.
And the only way that we can really know that we are saved, the only way that we can know that we have that which suits us for the holy presence of God, is to rest upon the precious, unchanging Word of God.
How wonderfully simple verses in the Bible that show us how we can know are saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Again in John 5 and 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me half everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. And I would say that everyone in this room who.
As the assurance that he is saved is not resting on an experience or a feeling, he is resting upon the precious Word of God. That's how we know. And the Lord said when Peter made this confession, flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. Your Father can't save you, your mother can't save you, a preacher can't save you.
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But God can make himself known, and he is pleased to make himself.
Known through his word, Scripture says, Thou hast magnify thy word about all thy name. In other words, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God and others says, being born again, not a corruptible seed, but an incorruptible, but by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. So I say again, that everyone in this room tonight who knows that he or she is saved.
What being able to say, I know it because God's word has told me, and that's the only ground on which we can have real assurance Indeed, it says in John's epistle, he that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his son. Well, I'm saying these things because.
Our assurance and our knowledge of salvation is founded upon the Word of God.
But isn't it, isn't it a very strange thing that when people come and tell you, yes, I know I'm saved, I know the Lord is my Savior, and you ask them the next question, with whom do you fellowship? Why, you'll get all kinds of answers. Very, very seldom will they point you to the word of God. They'll perhaps tell you, well, I found a nice little group of Christians and I worship with them or the groups that we're.
Is doing a good gospel work, and I think we can have part in that work. Or perhaps they'll say about how much fellowship they're having with some particular company. But very seldom will you meet someone who will say, well, let's sit down for a minute and I'll show you from the Word of God why I am in that particular company of Christians. Yet what other assurance do we have about the Word of God?
How can we know?
When the Lord was about to prepare the Passover for his disciples, or have them prepare it, I should say, then he told them definite directions. They said, Lord, where wilt thou that we prepare? And so he gave them directions, and they went and found as he had said unto them, and they made ready the Passover.
After his resurrection, there was a meeting place where he said.
Now that he would meet with them, it says in the end of Matthew that the disciples came together into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them, and when they saw him, they worshiped him. So there was an appointed place where they kept the Passover. There was an appointed place where he met with them after his resurrection. And only just like in a simple way to bring before our hearts a little bit tonight.
About this, the importance of this subject, and that is first of all, what the church really is, and then how we can meet in such a way that we follow the directions of the Word of God and gather to remember the Lord Jesus in his death. Well, first of all, and in the 16th of Matthew, we find what the church really is. Is it something that was constructed by men? Is it a voluntary gathering of people?
So, well, the Lord said on this rock, I will build my church. Was there anything here about people voluntarily doing something? No, we find that it was a work that the Lord Jesus himself said He would do. Now, of course, it had not as yet begun, and that is the Church of God did not begin on earth until the day of Pentecost. If I can use the expression, that was the church's birthday.
That was the beginning of the Church of God on earth. But the Lord is Speaking of something being rejected by the nation that favored nation about to lose its place and privilege as the Lord told them why he announces something new, something very blessed. He said I will build my church and without turning to it. We'll see how that Peter understood what the Lord was speaking about because.
In his epistle he says he also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
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Says our foundation, can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. And these two things were revealed to Peter. The Lord said on this rock that is on the rock of Peter's confession, Peter had confessed who the Lord Jesus is. And so that's the very foundation of all it says. Again, I want to quote the verse again.
All your foundation can No man lay than that is laid which is.
Jesus Christ, he's the rock, He's the foundation upon which the church is built. But the word Peter means a stone. And so Peter understood what the Lord was speaking about and he realized that he was going to be a living stone in this building. And when addressing the believers in his epistle in the 2nd chapter, first Peter chapter 2, he says ye also.
Stones are built up a spiritual house, and so there is a work going on in this world. It's not a building constructed like this where no Workman hired and built this building. This building is not a church. It's just a convenient meeting place. But every person in this room who is saved is a living stone builded in by the Lord Jesus himself.
Because, he said I will build my church.
He also it says, in the 2nd chapter of Acts, when the Church of God began, the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. So in the 20th chapter of Acts, the church which he hath purchased with his own blood. Then it says in the 12TH chapter of Hebrews, the Church of the first born, which are written in heaven.
Don't all these verses make it clear that the Church is really a spiritual?
Building composed of living stones built in by the Lord Jesus himself added as they are saved as a living stone into the building purchased by the precious blood of Christ and their name written on the only true church role, and that's in heaven. That's what the Church of God is. That's what the Lord Jesus was speaking about, what he was saying that he was going to build.
It hadn't yet taken place.
But it was going to take place because, as I say, Israel, who had occupied that place of favor, was about to be set aside. And most of us, I think, know that in the year 8070, some 30 years after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, why Jerusalem was laid in ruins, the temple was destroyed.
And they were no longer able to go on with all that ritual and ceremony that was connected.
With what God had established in Judaism well on the day of Pentecost.
It tells us. And here we all turn to the second of Acts first verse. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with 1 accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, And there appeared unto them clothing tongues like as it fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began.
Speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
He turned to 1St Corinthians chapter 12.
We'll see what.
Took place here as it's brought before us in First Corinthians 12.
Verse 12.
For as the body is 1 and hath many members, and all the members of that one Body being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bombed or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit.
And then in Ephesians chapter one, verse 22.
Well, perhaps I should read from the 20th verse, the end of the 19th. His mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. For all, above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath made him to be head over all things, and hath put all things under his feet. And.
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Him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
Well, on the second of Acts, we in the second of Acts we have the coming of the Holy Spirit of God down into this world. And this was the beginning of the Church of God. And we're told in First Corinthians 12, which we read by 1 Spirit, we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles. Then we're told in Ephesians chapter one, who is the head of the body of the church?
You know, previous to the day of Pentecost there were many individual believers. And on the day of Pentecost something very wonderful happened, something, as I say, that hadn't taken place before. The Spirit of God came down to earth as a divine person and united all believers into one body.
And supposing I had on this table about 120 beads.
And then I took a string and I put them through the 120 beads and I held it up. I could say now I have one necklace. It's composed of 120 beads, but it's actually one necklace. And on the day of Pentecost, individual believers were united by the coming of the Spirit of God into one body. And that's what took place. That's what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is.
I say this because.
Some people talk about waiting for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is no mention of anyone ever waiting for the baptism of the Holy Spirit after the day of Pentecost.
Previous to that, if I read the first chapter of Acts, you would see that the Lord told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait, and that they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. But you never heard Peter or Paul or anyone else telling people to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
And that was the formation of the Church of God on earth. That was the beginning of that which the Lord had spoken of in the 16th chapter of Matthew, the formation of the Church of God. And so again I say, those 120 cease to be individuals in that sense. They were united to one another and to Christ the head in glory, because Ephesians, one tells us.
That Christ is the head of the body, the church, and if you're saved, you'll indwell by the Spirit of God and by the indwelling of the Spirit of God. You are united to every other believer on earth, whether you've met him or not. You're united to him whether he's a Jew or whether he's a Gentile or any nationality under the sun. If he has believed in the Lord Jesus, he has been sealed by the Holy Spirit of.
God, he's been added to the church and you're united to him and to Christ the head in glory. Now I just make a brief mention here of this being a very significant reason as to why the gift of tongues was given because.
Because before the day of Pentecost, as we mentioned, God was dealing with one particular nation.
And when the Lord Jesus was here, he said, I'm not sent but for the lost sheep of the House of Israel. He said to the woman in the 4th chapter of John's gospel, whom he spoke to at the side of the well. He said salvation is of the Jews. So we don't lead to the gift of tongues because God was dealing with a particular nation. But on the day of Pentecost, God gave a very significant sign that he was going to reach out beyond.
Nation. And if you read the chapter carefully, you'll see that there were people at Jerusalem on that occasion from every nation under heaven, and they heard in their own tongue the wonderful works of God. Never had such a thing taken place before. When the queen of Sheba came up, she didn't hear tongues. No, she had to accept the fact that Jerusalem was God's center and Israel were his chosen people. But now we see that God is showing what He is.
To do, to reach out, and it doesn't matter what nationality you are or what your tongue is, if you're indwelled by the Spirit of God, you are united to every other believer on earth and to Christ ahead in glory. Now there was no promise that that sign would continue, but it was a very significant one to bring before us what God was doing upon the earth when.
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We when he formed the Church of God, we know that.
People today who profess to have it, but I say, is there any group that could ever do what was done on the day of Pentecost, Gather people from every nation under heaven and talk to them in their own language without learning it?
Have you ever seen such a thing? I've seen lots of imitation, but I have never seen the reality of it. But it took place in reality here on the day of Pentecost. It was God who was doing this and was showing what He was introducing here upon earth. A very significant, a very wonderful thing. Well, soon we have then the formation of the Church of God on earth. And I'll just read the last verse of this second of Acts just to get.
The context again.
47 for is praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved, but every day the person is saved there is one more added to the church. Now we hear the mention like this in Christendom. Well up here saved you better join a good evangelical church, but you don't read that in the Bible. The Lord does the adding.
The Lord does the adding. It's true. We should seek out a company with whom we can be gathered according to the Word of God, because that doesn't make you part of the church. In fact, no company that is meeting according to the Word of God receives people who add them to the church. They receive them because they're already part of the church, only to give expression to that blessed and wonderful truth.
That there is one body. So then we see what the Church of God.
God really is upon earth a wonderful thing. People often say, well, where are your headquarters? Well, the headquarters are where the head is, and the head is in heaven. The Lord Jesus is the head of the body, the Church, and he is the one who is the one, as we're told in the in Colossians, and ye are complete in him.
Who is the head of all principality and power?
To turn back to Matthew chapter 18, just for a moment.
Matthew, Chapter 18.
And just the 20th verse.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
What a very precious verse this is because as soon as we begin to speak of the church, people so often want us to mention some name that men have recognized and set up. But here it tells us where two or three are gathered together in my name. And I read to you in Ephesians chapter 1.
That God has given to the Lord Jesus a name.
Which is above every name has the head of the body, the Church, and So what a precious privilege it is. Do we need any other name but the name of the Lord Jesus? Isn't that altogether lovely name? The name of the head of the body, the name of the one who is the bridegroom of the church? Isn't that sufficient? Surely it's sufficient for salvation?
It says neither is there salvation in any other, for there is not.
Other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. And if that name is sufficient and all sufficient for salvation, do we require some other name as a gathering center? Oh, how blessed and how simple this precious verse is, where two or three are gathered together in my name.
There am I in the midst of them. Now you notice it says are gathered.
I call attention to that because the Scripture never speaks of the gathering of Christians as a voluntary gathering about water, a work of the Holy Spirit. Just as the salvation of a soul is the work of the Holy Spirit, so I believe gathering together to Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit and of any group of Christians.
Say well, we gather together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Don't we have a right to look into the scripture and see if they are gathering according to the word of God?
One brother illustrated it very aptly, something like this, and I thought it was quite striking what he said. He said disposing. You were walking down the street and you see a sign out in front of a building, a nicely painted sign, and it says doctor, so and so, physician and surgeon. Well, you are looking for a.
Doctor So you walk in and you sit down in the waiting room and you look around and they usually have the diploma. Quite often it's framed in the waiting room. You look around and you don't see any diploma that's framed there at all. And so you go to the girl at the desk and say, does this? Does this doctor have a diploma? What college does he have a diploma from? Oh, she says.
The sign outside is enough. We don't.
Need to have a diploma. Didn't you see that sign? It said Doctor Som saw physician and surgeon. Oh, what you say? He had no right to put that out unless he had an authoritative diploma. Now you, you and I have no right to profess to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ unless we're gathering according to His Word. I think that's a very significant thing, brethren. I believe that we need to be able to show from the Word of God.
Why and how we gather as we do if we claim to gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and because He is the Head of the Body, the Church. And so He tells us that we have the authority to use His name. But the Spirit of God never leads contrary to the Word of God.
I quote a significant remark by Mr. Darby which struck me very much.
He said the spirit and the word cannot be separated without falling into fanaticism on the one hand or rationalism on the other.
That is, if we, if we talk about the Spirit apart from the Word, we're very likely to become very fanatical in our ideas because we're shutting out the direction of God's Word. And so there are people who talk about the leading of the Spirit and that they can't show from the Word of God that it is really the leading of the Spirit because the Spirit of God always leads according to the Word of God. Never.
Contrary to it, because this precious book is inspired by the Spirit of God. And how could the Spirit of God lead you to do something contrary to this book? For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
So if you find somebody who rationalizes the Scripture, he may take the the Scripture apart from the Word and from the Spirit. And then you may find someone who makes a great deal of spirit that doesn't follow the Word. We need to bring the two together. The Spirit of God always exalts Christ. 1 is often said. You can make a simple test of any doctrine that is presented to you by just asking.
One question does this doctrine exalt man, or does it exalt Christ? If it's the truth, it will exalt Christ, because John 16 says that the Spirit will lead us into all truth. And then an expert says, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. There's a lot that's going on in Christendom that glorifies man.
There's a lot that's going on that exalts man, but the truth of God doesn't exalt the first man, it exalts Christ. The truth will always glorify and honor Christ. And so that name is about every name. That name is the gathering center. But in order to use His name according to the will of God, we must be in accord with the Word of God.
For the word of God.
Will teach us through the spirits leading how to give honor to the Lord Jesus and to gather in such a way that he is All in all. It tells us in Colossians 3 Christ is. We find in the Bible that they met in different places. They met in the House of Priscilla and Aquila. They met in the House of Philemon.
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They came together in the school of Tirana. There were different places where they met, and on another occasion they were meeting in an upper room at Troas. So when you see there were different places where the early Christians met, the the place was not an important thing. It was only a convenient place to gather. The important thing was the person to whom they were gathered and whether they were gathered according to His word.
Let's turn now to the 20th chapter of Acts, the 20th chapter of Acts.
And the seventh verse.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the Morrow, and continued his speech until midnight.
Now if I had taken time, I could have read different scriptures. In the second of Acts it says they continued steadfastly and the apostles doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And I might mention, I think most of us realize this, that the day of Pentecost was the first day of the week. You can see that if you check it with the 23rd of Leviticus. It tells us when that.
Pentecost was it was. They were to count 7 Sabbaths complete after the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits, and then it was the Morrow after the 7th Sabbath. Now the Sabbath is Saturday and the moral after the 7th Sabbath means that there were 50 days from the time the Lord Jesus was crucified until the day of Pentecost, and that was on the first day of the week.
And that was the commencement of the breaking of bread in mature in the assembly. The Lord instituted it on the night of His betrayal. But as an assembly gathering to break bread, the first time they did it, it was on the first day of the week. And we can gather from this 20th of Acts that it was their custom to do this, because we're told upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread.
We're told later in Corinthians that.
They were to lay by them in store on the first day of the week, a collection for the Lord. We're told that when John was in the Isle of Patmos, even though he couldn't gather with the Saints to remember the Lord, that still he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, so that the first day of the week called the Lord's Day was the Christian's day.
Now we're going to turn to 1St Corinthians 10, but I just want to mention what is stated in First Corinthians 11 in this connection, and that is that in First Corinthians 11, the Lord, we're told as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.
So the question then might be raised, how often? How often? Well, haven't we got a divine pattern? I know that some groups say, well, once a month, once every three months, sometimes even less, they will gather to remember the Lord. The Holy Church apparently did it on the first day of the week. There's no rule laid down because in Christianity it's holy liberty.
But since the Lord has said as often, and He has given.
The pattern in Scripture, I think that satisfies the heart that wants to respond to him. And especially, brethren, when we think of the nearness of the Lord's return, are we going to let a first day of the week go by when we realize that he might return before the next one? Doesn't that make you think, well, I'd like to remember him on this first day of the week because perhaps before next first day of the week, he'll have given the shout and called us home as.
Often as he eats this bread and drink this cup, he to show the Lord's death till he comes. So if I can put it this way, I don't believe the Scripture lays down a rule about how often we're to remember the Lord. But it does seem to me that the heart that responds to his love and to his claims would want to do it as often as the Scripture gives us the pattern. And so on the first day of the week is our happy privilege, I believe, to gather together in his.
Way. Now let's turn to 1St Corinthians 10.
And verse 15.
I speak as to wise men. Judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ, The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one blood. Behold Israel after the flesh.
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Are they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What?
Say I then that the idol is anything. That which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything but. I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that she should have fellowship with devils.
Now First Corinthians 10 is bringing before us the truth of the Lord's Table, and I might say that.
It is quite significant. Perhaps I should read the 21St verse just to get the context here.
He cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. He cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils. This is the only place in the New Testament where the Lord's Table is mentioned. And so surely, if we want to know what the Lord's Table is, this is the place to find it out, because this passage is the only place where it speaks about it.
And the point that is established here, and it's a very important point, is.
That the act of partaking is the expression of fellowship.
So there were three things that existed at the time Paul was writing, and there was a Jewish, there was a Jewish worship, there was a heathen worship, and there was the Christian worship. Happily, the Assembly of God hadn't been divided at this time, but He brings before us what the Lord's Table really is. And to my own heart it speaks in this way.
That the place where I want to have fellowship is where.
The truth that we have set before us is expressed. I don't believe that we could call tables where groups of Christians assemble table of devils. I don't believe that's right. But I would say that there is only 1 scriptural way to gather, and that is to gather as members of the body of Christ. And the Lord warned that the wolf would scatter the sheep. They'd still be sheep, but they would be scattered.
They would still be sheep, I say, but scattered. And so Paul had to say too, that there were those in his time that were saying, I am a Paul and I have a Paulus, and I have Cephas and I have Christ.
The Lord Jesus prayed that his own might be one in testimony. And so here we find what the Lord's table really is. And I believe if if you're really saved and know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, it must be very important to you that you would like to be gathered at what the Scripture sets before us as the Lord's table.
Perhaps we could say to be called the Lord's Table, the Lordship of Christ must be owned. How could it be called the Lord's Table and gathered in some other name?
How could it be called the Lord's Table and not be gathered according to His word? That would not be owning the Lordship and the authority of Christ.
How could it be called the Lord's Table if the precious truth of Christianity, which is the truth of the one body, is denied?
It's quite significant to my soul that in this only scripture where it talks about the Lord's table, it brings out that the loaf on the table is the symbol of the one body of Christ. Notice this 17th verse.
For we being many are one bled and one body. For we are all partakers of that one bread or that one loaf.
So here we find that what is spoken of is the Lord's Table, is an expression of the one body of Christ.
And isn't this very important?
Did the Lord Jesus intend that there should be all different groups under different names, each one giving expression to the fact that they're a member of such and such a group? The only membership in Christianity is a member of the body of Christ. That's all a member of the body of Christ. And so when we break bread and we put one loaf on the table, we are practically saying.
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That amid all the confusion of Christendom and people meeting under all kinds of different names, some of them associated with evil doctrines, some of them associated with so many things contrary to the Word of God, every Christian, no matter where or who he is, is represented in that one loaf. Because there is one body, there is one body.
And so when we gather and put that one loaf on the table.
We are simply saying that every member of the body of Christ is united to one another and to Christ the head in glory. That's what is expressed at the Lord's table. Well, you might say, well, how can that be expressed by only a small company? Because all these others are members of the one body of Christ? But supposing that they choose to meet under other names?
Supposing they choose to form organizations and call themselves by different names, we have to lead them where they are. But we recognize them as members of the body of Christ, and we have no scriptural right to meet in any other name but the name of the Lord Jesus. We have no scriptural right to meet in any other way but as members of the body of Christ.
And in simplicity, that is what is expressed at the Lord's Table, the oneness.
Of the body of Christ. Now of course, we could look at other scriptures that show we must be in separation from evil, moral and doctrinal, because it says put away from among yourselves that wicked person. But I'm not speaking at this point how disciplined, but simply what it really brings before us here in connection with what the Lord's table really is.
And of course, if it is the Lord's Table, he is holy and true.
And so evil can't be allowed there.
When the man in the 5th chapter of First Corinthians had to be set aside from the Lord's Table, he was a member of the body of Christ, but he lost the privilege because of his careless walk. And not until he had humbled himself could be he be restored. But he was still a member of the body of Christ. But the privilege he didn't enjoy, but he was still a member of that one body.
And so how beautiful this is to think that we.
Can gather as members of the body of Christ. I've often used a little illustration, something like this. Perhaps someone heard it before. But I think it helps to make this thought simple. Supposing that there was a father and he's dying and he has ten children, and he says to his ten children, after I'm gone, I'd like you to Remember Me.
And I'd like you to remember something else. How that where one dear one family.
Your one family. So the fire passes away. The the father has asked them to do this. And he has specifically said when you do it, if you just put one loaf on the table and that one loaf to you will represent the fact that your one family, 10 children, one family. He said. You'll fulfill my request. You'll Remember Me and you'll Remember Me as one family.
Well, after he's gone, the whole 10 come together.
Happily responding to what their father asked them to do. What a lovely thing took place on the day of Pentecost, when they were, as it says they were, with 1 accord in one place. The multitude of the disciples were of 1 heart and one soul.
Let's suppose after a little time goes by, 5 of them say oh we're not going to come anymore. We're going to set up ourselves on another St. and we'll call ourselves by another name and we're not going to come anymore.
What are the other 5 going to do?
Say, well, now we can't fulfill our father's request anymore. Or could they come and put the one loaf on the table and say, we want to remember our father? He asked us to do it as one family. We're sad that the other five are not here, but we're not going to give up doing what our father asked us to do. But we'll see them all represented there, even if they're not there.
Will they not be fulfilling what their father asked them to do? Would you suggest they'd give up because.
The other five wouldn't come. Would you suggest that even if it got down to two that they should say it's no use because the other 8 won't come? I think if their father were alive, his heart would be thrilled to think that two of them wanted to fulfill his request. And two of them still said there's still only one family and there are 10 children in it. And we want to do what our father asked us to do because he loved every one of the 10.
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Children and far away. Well, I believe they would be fulfilling what their father asked them to do. I believe that's what the Lord's table is, brethren, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. And so the loaf on the table is the expression of the one body.
Now there's something significant about this 10th chapter, and that is that the cup comes first and not the loaf.
I think all of us realize that when the Lord instituted the feast, He broke the bread 1St and then afterwards He passed the cup to them. Why was the cup 1St and then the loft?
Well, there's some thoughts that I I really precious to my own heart in this connection. And that is first of all that I believe the cop comes first because when I think of it being the Lord's table, the first thought that would come into my mind is what title do I have to be at the Lord's Table? What title do I have?
Well, we have the answer. I believe in Hebrews 10, having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. And So what gives me title there is that I have been cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. That gives me holy boldness to come into His presence and sit at His table. I don't sit there because I'm better than somebody else, but I sit there because His precious blood has given.
A title to be there. Then it's significant that when the Lord built the bread and we have it in First Corinthians 11, he said this is my body, which is given for you. He was talking about his physical body, but there's something that's added here and that is that the loaf in the 10th chapter is the symbol of the mystical body of Christ.
Composed of all believers and so.
As we break bread, why, we come there first of all, fitted to be there through the blood, and we take our place there not merely as forgiven sinners, but as members of the body of Christ. Now to me that's very, very precious. And perhaps in order to make this point a little clearer to you, I could use a little illustration.
Back in the Old Testament, we read about Rahab the harlot in the book of Joshua. She was a person who had been living a sinful life in the city of Jericho, but she put her trust in the God of Israel. She hung the scarlet line in her window. She was delivered when the judgment fell upon Jerry Cole. And there's more to the story.
She married into the royal line of Israel.
She became the wife of a man whose name was Salman.
Let us suppose now that after this she comes to sit down at the table across from her new husband, and she looks across the table to him, and she says, oh, it's wonderful to be at your table as a forgiven harlot.
I can just imagine how he would look dark across the table. Oh, you're certainly forgiven, but I don't think of you that way at all. I think of you as the person that I love and I chose to be my bride. Oh, I want you to sit here in a liberty feeling that I don't look at you that way. I look at you with love and with affection. Now, isn't this lovely, brethren?
And I to me, it's so lovely. I'm invited to the Lord's table. I have titled through the blood.
But he says, I want you to know that when you sit there, it's true, you're forgiven, but you're much more than that. You're a member of the body of Christ and you break bread not only as a forgiven Sinner, but in a place as though the Lord looked across the table to you and said, while it all fear my love, there is no spot in me.
You'll never enjoy the Lord's table like you should if you don't realize the preciousness of what it really is. Is there any wonder that it talks about provoking the Lord to jealousy after this? Could you ever think I really have wanting to go back with her old friend after that?
And so, you know, true separation is founded upon love. If we really learn what it is to be gathered at the Lord's Table as members of His body, if we really, as it were, seen him speaking in that way to us, we'll say I'm satisfied. That's the only way I want to remember him. That's true separation. Separation is founded upon love. It certainly isn't marriage. Separation is founded on love and at the Lord's Table.
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How precious to be there? So he says, do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? He said, would you want to be any place else but at the Lord's table when you know, at the Lord's table really means what it really stands for? Well, to me, that's exceedingly precious.
Well, I just Passover briefly to the 11TH chapter.
I might say it's rather interesting that we have those three things brought before us in this chapter, separation. And then in the 11TH chapter, the first verses of the 11TH chapter, we have submission, the woman accepting her place in submission to her husband. And then next of all we have sobriety.
And then we have the truth of the Lord's Supper.
So we come to the 23rd verse, and I, I just like to read here a few verses. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he brake and said, Take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you, this dew in remembrance of me. After the same manner also He took the cup when he had sucked, saying.
This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as often she drink it in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He comes. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself.
And so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation, or the margin says judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world.
Now in the 10th chapter, we have the subject of the Lord's Table. In this chapter, as you'll notice in the 20th verse, the subject is the Lord's Supper.
We first of all think of our place and privilege of being there, and I believe if we can look at this chapter in a simple way, it's what it costs the Lord to bring us there.
It's a wonderful privilege to be there, but we're there to remember what it cost the Lord to bring us there. And brethren, Mrs. Most Precious, what did it cost the Lord Jesus? And that's why we have the loaf 1St, and then the cup. The loaf, His own body given in death for us, and the cup speaking to us of His precious blood, that blood that flowed from His precious side that brings before us accomplished redemption.
And so we come there, we sit down at the table, having titled through the blood, being there as members of his body. And now we're thankful as we think of what He went through to bring us there, we think of what He endured for us at the cross. It moves our very inmost being as we sit in his presence and as we break the bread in remembrance of His body. For he bore our sins and his own body on the.
We were taking the cup and we think of his precious blood that was shed. Oh, what a, what a touching thing it is. As I might say, I'm invited to your table. I feel happy there. I feel accepted there. And then as a meal comes on, I think of all the trouble you went to in order to prepare that meal so that I could be sitting there and enjoy it. And so I've been brought to his table.
But I also think of the cost to himself.
And these things do move our very inmost affections as we think of what he has done and show forth. His death announces it were that although the world would like to forget about that death, it means everything to us. It means everything to us. The world would like to forget Calvary, but to us it means everything. It's the ground of every blessing that we'll know for time and for all eternity.
And how long do we have this privilege?
Until he comes, until he comes, Oh what a what a lovely thing to remember him until he comes.
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Well, I'd just like to say a few words of these verses that follow because they might be helpful to someone just to consider them.
I sometimes said, if I had been writing this, I might have put those verses from the 27th to the end in the 10th chapter, and I would have connected them perhaps with the thought of the 10th chapter. Why does the Spirit of God put them in the 11TH chapter?
Well, I think it's very precious. Now that is in the 10th chapter. What better title could we have than his precious blood?
What other place of nearness, more wonderful place of nearness, could we have than members of His body?
But these verses bring before us, if I can put it in a simple way, a worthy way to remember Him and an unworthy way to remember Him. That's the point.
And so he says in his 27th verse, Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
I wonder if I could illustrated something like this.
Supporting through carelessness, I get deeply into debt.
I have debts that I can never pay.
And you come along and you say, Gordon, just give me all the bills. I'll look after them for you.
And so I hand you the bills. It means that you have to put a mortgage on your house or sell it or something in order to get the money to pay these bills for me. You place them back into my hands and say, here they are, Gordon. They're all receded now. There's not one of them outstanding. They're all paid.
And I thank you.
But the next week I think, well, I guess I can start spending money again now. And I go out and I incur some more debts. And after a couple of weeks I come over and I start to pull out my heart and tell you how thankful I am that you paid those bills for me.
And you look at me and you say, Gordon, is it possible that you have gone deeply into debt again after all I did for you?
Surely how can you come and thank me and yet be so careless? It costs me so much. Brethren, can we sit at the Lord's Table to remember Him in His death and be going on with things in our lives that caused the Lord Jesus all that suffering?
If I came over and I said, oh, I really appreciate what you did, but I'm exceedingly sorry I got careless and I want to tell you how very sorry I am. I haven't forgotten what it cost you. That would be a different way, wouldn't it? Now, you know, for a Christian to come on Thursday morning to remember the Lord and to be going on with the very things that caused the Lord all that suffering and going on with them unjudged in his life.
It says he's guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. That is what he's doing caused the Lord all that suffering.
Would we want to remember Him in such an unworthy way? Doesn't the thought of gathering to remember him make us think of what it cost him? I think it's so beautiful to my soul that the clearest verses on self judgment are associated with the Lord's Supper. For I don't believe we really judge ourselves properly unless we do it in light of what it costs the Lord to put away our sins.
And to say, well, I'm sorry I told a lie, or I'm sorry I did that, or I'm sorry I did something, It seems to me it means a lot more when I think of the Lord on Calvary bearing that very sin so that I could be in his presence and be accepted. And so the thought of remembering the Lord ought to produce self judgment, and more than I'll say a little more I believe, if it did.
The the little sins would never.
Go into big sins in our lives. Big sins in our lives are the result of not judging the little ones.
When the Cloud Moved Part 1
When the Cloud Moved Part 2
Deliverance
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Exodus chapter 13 and verse 17.
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt. But God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had straightly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and he shall carry up my bones, hence away with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day, and a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.
To go by day and night, he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Tiahira, between Migdal and Bethlehem, over against Baal's Ethan before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart that he will follow after them. And I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his hosts, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people. And they said, why have we done this, That we have let Israel go from serving us?
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him, and he took 600 chosen Chariots, and all the Chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel, and the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
But the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and Chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them, and camping by the sea beside Pahereth before Belzepha.
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them, and they were sore afraid. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, Hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
Wherever hast thou dealt us with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptian? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness?
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today. For the Egyptians whom he have seen today, He shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore cry hast thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward, But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his hosts, upon his Chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his Chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them. And the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these, so that the one came not near the other all the night.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by. Our strong E wind all that night made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground, and the waters were a while unto them in their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his Chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass that in the morning watch the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took off their chariot wheels.
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That they drave them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea and the water, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their Chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared.
And the Egyptians fled against it, And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea, And the waters returned, and covered the Chariots, and the horsemen, and all the hosts of Pharaoh that came in into the sea after them. There remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were awhile unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of.
The Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore, and Israel saw that great work which the Lord did at some Egyptians. And the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord. And his servant. Moses just like to read a couple of verses in the next chapter. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and stakes, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him in habitation my Father's God, and I will exalt him.
Well, I think many of us are acquainted with the position that the children of Israel were in, in the land of Egypt, and how it's a picture to us of the position that we were once in, exposed to the judgment of God. For God had announced judgment upon the land of Egypt. He had announced the judgment. There were many warnings beforehand, but at last He was going to bring that solemn judgment of the death of the first born.
In every home that was not under the shelter of the blood.
And so surely this is a picture to us, dear friends, of this world in which we live. Before the Lord Jesus went to the cross, he said, now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out. And this world in which we live is a world that is under the judgment of God.
And it tells us also in the 17th of Acts God has appointed today, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained, wherever he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And so Egypt was under judgment, and this world is under judgment. The day has been set, the judge has been chosen.
But God provided a way of escape for His people when that judgment was announced upon Egypt.
He told them that they were to take the blood of the lamb and sprinkle the blood of the lamb on the lentil and the two side pulse. And God said these lovely words, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. He provided a way of shelter from the judgment. And everyone that was in the home there where the blood was sprinkled could say I'm perfectly safe and oh, I just want to say at the beginning of this meeting.
If there is anyone who is still part of this world that's under judgment, I warn you, the judgment is coming soon. It's absolutely sure, because the judge has been chosen.
And the day has been appointed, but all there is a way of escape. And I beseech you to flee from the Ross to come. I beseech you to take shelter under the precious blood of Christ, God's Lamb. And So what gives assurance to the soul? Is it any good feelings of our own? Did any Israelite have to depend upon his feelings or something that he had done? Oh, God didn't say when I see how good you are. He didn't even say when I.
See that you have good feelings. He looked at the blood.
And even if there were doubts in their mind, if the blood was on the lentil and the two side pulse by the homeless safe. And so isn't it a wonderful thing tonight that you can have peace with God, not because of your feelings? Your feelings may change, but God's word doesn't change. The value of the blood of Christ doesn't change. And that's what we need to rest upon the finished work of Christ, that precious blood. And so they were perfectly safe.
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When they took shelter under the blood, more than this, in those homes there was a feast going on. They could feed upon the roast lamb. And we who have taken shelter under the precious blood of Christ, we have found the feast of joy in the knowledge of Himself and of his love.
But God didn't intend to leave his people there in the land of Egypt. He wanted to bring them out and bring them into the promised land, that land flowing with milk and honey. And heaven is our home. When Christ is our Savior, we can say, as we sometimes sing, heaven is our Fatherland, Heaven is our home.
And I would say that the crossing of the Red Sea brings before us in type how that we are not only sheltered from judgment, but we are brought into an entirely new position.
Any longer seen as being part of this world that is under judgment. But every believer is in Christ before God.
It tells us in Romans chapter 5 how that for the believer there is justification of life. And I wish to say to everyone who has saved that you're not only sheltered from judgment, but God sees you in a position before him where there is no condemnation. He sees you in Christ and there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
US. That's what it means. Justification of light.
Tells us in John's epistle. As he is, so are we in this world.
We don't need to wait till the judgment Day to find out if everything's going to be all right. The Lord Jesus has done the work, and as he is there at the right hand of God, so are we in this world. Can I believe the passage of the children of Israel through the Red Sea is a little picture of the entrance into an entirely new position before God? Let me put it simply, You're not just a forgiven Sinner. You're a new creature in Christ Jesus.
That's what gives peace to the soul, it says.
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I've illustrated it very simply like this. If I had stolen $100 from you and you forgave me, even though forgive them, I wouldn't be thoroughly at ease in your presence. I would feel a little uneasy and wonder what you really thought about me inside. But wouldn't it be a different thing if when you forgave me, you said, now listen, I have something.
To tell you I'm not only forgiving you, but I'm going to look at you from henceforth, not only as forgiven, but as though you had never done that thing and could not do that thing. I'm going to look at you with all the love and affection of my own child. Oh, how wonderful. That's the position to which the believer is brought, A position where God tells us we are accepted in the beloved.
This is not a very precious thing to know.
Well, the children of Israel were not only delivered from the judgment that fell upon Egypt, but they were taken out of Egypt altogether and put in a position where they could look back and see all their enemies dead upon the seashore. And I wish that every believer here tonight would not only know that your sins are forgiven, but you would just relax and say, God not only looks at me as a forgiven Sinner, but He sees me in all the acceptance of His own beloved.
Son, He sees me in a life that never sinned and that cannot sin. Judgment is passed for me because it was all settled by my precious Savior. Well, may the Lord grant that each one may lay hold of this and be in the enjoyment of it.
But I'd also like to look at this portion in a practical way too, in which we can apply it to ourselves in our lives, because we go through experiences in which God teaches us these things in various ways. And God not only sets the truth before us very clearly in his Word, but he also gives us very vivid pictures in his word, pictures that seem to me to make things much more real to.
My soul, I must say that I learn a great deal from the pictures of God's Word. Sometimes I do little repairs on my car and you know, you get the part and there's not only the written instructions telling you how to do it, but there are also a few pictures and I like to look at the pictures. The pictures seem to really help me. I read the instructions and I look at the pictures. Now God does both in His Word. He sets the truth clearly.
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Before us, But He also gives us pictures to make the truth very vivid to our souls. And here in this portion tonight we have the children of Israel leaving the land of Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and coming up on the other side. And seeing the Lord has triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.
Notice where it begins in this 17th verse of the 13th chapter, that when the Lord was about to take his people out of the land of Egypt, he didn't take them the easiest way. It says here that he didn't take them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, but he took them away. That seemed very difficult and very confusing, I might say to the to the.
Egyptians, they just couldn't understand.
And you know, we must never expect a natural man to understand the truth of God. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can be, it says.
The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are foolishness unto him because they are spiritually discerned. And Pharaoh never understood what God was doing with God's people. And you know, sometimes we who are believers, if we try to look at things from a natural sense instead of looking at the things that they're given to us in God's Word, we get confused too.
And any of us might say, well, why didn't God lead me in any?
Away. Wasn't there a simpler way? You know, God and his wisdom knows exactly what is best for us as it tells us who teacheth like Him. And he passes us through experiences that may seem very, very difficult, but they're all for our good. I remember hearing of a man and as he watched the the butterfly come out of the cocoon, he thought, well, that's difficult for that butterfly to come out of the cocoon.
And so he decided that next time he saw it, he was just going to give a little slip and make it easier. But he found out that by giving that little slit that made it easier for the butterfly to come out, that the butterfly never developed its wings properly. That process that seemed so difficult was necessary so that the blood would be forced through its wings so that it would be able to stretch them out and fly.
And so, you know, God passes us through things.
And sometimes we have to learn things in a difficult way, but it's all His wisdom in teaching us as he sees best. So He didn't lead them the easiest way. He didn't lead them the easiest way through the wilderness. They could have made that a journey in 11 days, but it took 40 years. And we have to learn lessons in the school of God. We have to go through them. We have to learn the two lessons that we spoke of in the meetings.
We need to learn our own hearts and we need to learn the faithfulness of God, and these are things that God teaches us in our wilderness experience.
So what tells us here? That he didn't take them away? That was easiest and shortest. But it says he led the people through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. Margin says 5 in a rank.
We know, I believe five in the scripture is to bring before us our own weakness. We have 5 fingers on our hands and five toes on our feet and God teaches us our own weakness and you know, we have to learn this. That's one of the things that's hard for us to learn.
But we must learn it. We have to learn this lesson. The flesh profiteth nothing. Someone asked Mr. Darby one time, Mr. Darby, you have a wonderful knowledge of the word of God, will you tell me how to study the Bible? And he said, well, study well, find 4 words. The flesh prophetess nothing.
You know, that's the lesson that we have to learn. The scripture says if a man thinketh that he knows.
Anything. He knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. If learning the truth doesn't humble us and make us think more of Christ, we haven't learned it in the right way. So he took them up, harnessed, He took them up five in a rank. He took them up in a way that he didn't look like a mighty army, but it looked like just a procession of weakness, just five and a rank. And you know I say again, the Lord Jesus said to his disciples.
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Without me he can do nothing. Let us learn that lesson well, brethren, many of us have had to learn the hard way. Like Peter, he thought he could trust himself, but he only found his own weakness. He led them five in a rank out of the land of Egypt.
Then it tells us they took the bones of Joseph with them. And why does God mention this fact? Well, I believe there's something very beautiful in this. The work of the Lord Jesus on the cross was not only for those of us who have lived since the cross, but it was the groundwork by which Abraham by which Joseph, by which Moses will be in the glory. There's only one ground of blessing, the theme of the redeemed in heaven, whether they live before.
Or after is all the same Thou art worthy, for thou hast slain, and hast redeemed us to God. But I blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation. Joseph had died long before, but his deliverance was the same as the deliverance of the children of Israel who were living. And it says in the 3rd chapter of Romans, that God not only declares his righteousness for us who believe that he might be just, and the justifier of.
That believeth in Jesus, but he also declares his righteousness in regard to sins that are past through the forbearance of God. God must act on a righteous basis. And so the ground of blessing, whether it be for those before the cross or since the cross is all that mighty work accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. And so perhaps I could say through the Red Sea went the bones of a man and also many.
Living people. And what a wonderful thing it will be when the whole redeemed company will praise the Lord for that glorious work that was finished at Calvary.
It tells us also here that in the 21St and 22nd verse that he made a provision that made it necessary for them to look up.
That is that the children of Israel wanted to be guided in their journey. Why they must look up. And if it was by night, it was a pillar of fire. If it was a day in the daytime it was a shelter from the heat. And you and I have to be constantly looking up. It tells us continuing instant in prayer, we need to always look up to the Lord.
Morning, evening, at all times when it says pray.
Without ceasing, it means that we should always be in the attitude that we can just look up to the Lord and say, Lord help me, there was the cloud. The people failed often. They rebelled. They did all kinds of things. But he didn't take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. And I want to say to anyone here who's got away from the Lord and is discouraged, the pillar of fire is still there.
The pillar of cloud is still there and you can turn to Him, and when you turn to him, you will find that He hasn't changed. The work of Calvary hasn't lost its value. And the believer who has failed can say He restore us, my soul. He restoreth my soul. Do you need help? He ever lives to make intercession for us. Our failure will never change His faithfulness. So this is brought before us at the beginning.
How their deliverance out of Egypt.
Now the Lord directs them to a place where they come and encamp by the sea. There was, as we have said, an easier way. And in fact, even Pharaoh, when he heard that the children of Israel had taken this way of getting out of the land of Egypt, he says here in the third verse, And Pharaoh will say, of the children of Israel.
They are entangled in the land the wilderness has shut them in.
I say again, the man of the world will never understand God's ways with his people. I'm sure that you've heard people say, well, why is it that Christians have trouble? Why is it that things aren't always easy for them? And that's exactly what Pharaoh said. He said, surely I could have found an easier way to get the people out of the land of Egypt if I was doing it. But to bring them to a place where they're right, a million people standing by the banks of the.
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See, how do they ever expect to get across? Well, this was human wisdom. And have you ever found yourself in a situation like that? You found yourself in a situation where there didn't seem to be any human resource at all, no way out, as you might say. And this is exactly what the children of Israel found themselves in here, and it was the Lord that brought them there.
And why does he bring us to those kind of experiences in our lives so that we would realize.
As we were saying a few moments ago, that our only resource is in the Lord, and it's a full resource. It's a complete resource because He's sufficient for everything. He is able for every situation. When those three Hebrew children found themselves faced with the possibility of being thrown into the fire, they said our God is able to deliver us, but if He doesn't deliver us, we'll trust him just the same.
And His way of delivering them was not to keep them from going into the fire, but to go with them in the fire and to show that He was able to preserve them even in the midst of the fire. And many of us can say, well, in the midst of trouble He has been with us and sustained our hearts and given us a sense of His love and of His presence.
And I might also say here at this point, it's very interesting in the Faith chapter, in the 11TH chapter.
Of Hebrews, that there are two distinct groups that are brought before us in the end of that chapter. It won't take time to turn to it, but maybe it'll be instructive for you to look where it says there that there were some who subdued kingdoms, who wrought righteousness, who quenched the violence of fire. And then there's a little change. And it says others were tortured, not accepting deliverance. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder.
They they just went through all kinds of.
Of difficulties wandering in sheepskins and goatskins and dennings and caves of the earth. In other words, what the Spirit of God is bringing before us is that sometimes God answers prayer in a miraculous way and takes us out of a difficulty. And sometimes he leaves us in the difficulty and says, I want you to learn to trust me even when you don't understand the way. And So what I enjoy about it is that God gives us these.
Groups, the groups that had miraculous deliverances and the groups that didn't seem to have any deliverances at all. And he uses he makes this comment.
These all obtained a good report through faith. The faith that trusts him when he doesn't deliver. He is equally valuable as the faith that cries to him and finds deliverance because it's faith that he values. Without faith, it is impossible to please him.
I suppose we'd all say, oh, I'd like to be in the miraculous class where things work out. I read books about people who had miraculous things happen, but they don't seem to happen to me. Well, shall I say it? Perhaps you're in the other group. Perhaps you're in the other group and the Lord wants you to trust him. As a little hymn says, trust him. When to simply trust him seems the hardest thing of all. And here were the children of Israel with the Red Sea in front of them, No.
At their disposal, a million people.
Babies and everything. How are they going to ever get across the Red Sea? And there they encamped by the Red Sea. And then to add to their horror.
The philosophy Egyptians see their predicament and Pharaoh gathers his armies together and comes up behind them. So there's no retreat, there's no going back. The Egyptians are behind them in the Red Sea, in front of them. And listen to what it says here.
In the 13th verse.
And Moses said unto the people, fearing not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. All this must have been a hard thing. But isn't it good when we just stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, See him work things out in the way that he sees fit and best, not in the way that we would think or plan ourselves, because most of our discouragement and disappointment.
Is because things don't work out the way.
We had planned them, but God's plan is ever best because he's perfect in wisdom, He's perfect in love, and He's perfect in power. But you notice at this point here, they do become discouraged and it tells us in this 11TH verse they said to Moses.
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Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
Wherefore is this, and wherefore hast thou dealt us with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians, for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. Here we see this point of discouragement, and I just say this to any here tonight who are discouraged. There's no more dangerous time in your life because you know what the enemy is going to do.
Just exactly what we see here. He's going to tell you, oh, following the Lord is a hard path. It's far easier to go back and go along with the world. You don't need to deny Christ. They didn't suggest that they weren't thankful for that blood that sheltered them from the judgment. They didn't say that they weren't thankful for that roast lamb that they had in their houses. But now it's the path of faith.
Where are they going to go on the path of faith when they were faced with difficulties and problems that to human nature were insurmountable? Or were they in heart going to turn back and say, oh, isn't there an easier path? And we have seen Christians who've come to this point and when they were tempted them, they yield to the enemy and they say, I'm going to try the world for a while.
The path of faith is just a little too hard for me.
It may be that others can do it, but it's just too hard for me. Oh, can I say to you, that's the enemy's work, to try and lead you back into Egypt every time through the wilderness? When the children of Israel got discouraged, you'd hear a similar thing coming up. Why did we leave Egypt? The lakes and the onions and the garlic. Let's make a captain and turn back into Egypt. There's nothing more dangerous than when the Christian becomes discouraged.
How that the world would creep him, but all the pillar of cloud was still there. God is faithful and as someone else has said, the path of the Christian is worthwhile if it were 1000 times harder than it is to live your life in company with the Lord Jesus. Find those who have gone on in the path of faith who have met some of the hardships of the path of faith.
And the best hymns that we have, the sweetest ministry that we have is from people.
Who experienced the Lord near in times of trouble. Many of our beautiful hymns were written by blind people, cripple people, people, people who had calamities in their life and even in the scripture. Some of those beautiful verses we enjoy so well, like rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say rejoice. They were written from within a prison wall.
Oh brethren, may we realize that the path of following Christ.
Is worthwhile, but I will say this, God does not promise you an easy path, but He promises you good company in the past. He promises to be with you, the Lord Jesus before he left his own said.
We must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God, Paul said to the young believers.
He said, he told them unto you, it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. The Lord Jesus said in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world and I don't promise you that it's going to be an easy path. Winston Churchill in World War Two, he said to the people, I can't promise you ease. I promise you blood, tears and sweat.
But victory in the end? Well, dear friends, there's something far more glorious ahead for the Christian. World War 2 is over, but we haven't found all the blessings that we had hoped we would find as the result of it. We find the world on the very verge of another war. But oh, how different when we follow Christ. Although the end of the journey is to be in that eternal rest where the Lord will say to his own.
Down now and I'll come forth and serve you. What a gracious savior. What a savior to have. I say it's surely worthwhile.
Well, it tells us here, as we noticed that the Lord said to Moses.
Speak to the people.
Theory not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today. He shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and He shall hold your peace. And often when we find ourselves in a situation like that, that is perhaps the hardest thing for us to do, is to hold our peace, not to complain.
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There's a verse in the 46th Psalm that says be still and know that I'm I am God. And so here was the time of just waiting upon God. They didn't know how it was going to be worked out, but the Lord had said.
Fear not, just stand still and wait.
Usually we find that when the Lord stands, says stand still, that's when we want to push forward. We want to do something. We want to, as it were, say, well, I'm going to try this or that. That's what Jacob did every time he found himself in a difficult spot. He had a scheme and he schemed and schemed and schemed until finally he came to the point where he had to say.
All these things are against me. His scheming didn't work things out for him.
But he saw that God was behind the scenes, and he was the one who was able to turn the sorrows of his life into blessing in the end.
And then tells us here in the 15th verse. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me, speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. Well, here we notice another thing. There was a time when they were to stand still and just wait. There was a time when they were to go forward.
Isn't it very often true with us that at the time we should go forward we seem to stand still, and at the time we should stand still, then we want to go forward. This is part of ourselves. But we need to have the ear that's opened and listened. And when the Lord says go forward, we can be sure that He has opened up a way. And so we find that He had opened a way.
The 16th verse says, But lift thou up thy rock.
Stretch out thine, hand over the sea and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. When God said go forward, it wasn't that they had to make a lot of boats, that they had to swim across the Red Sea, that they had to find some way of their own. No, He was going to undertake the whole situation.
And so when the time came that he said go forward.
He also told Moses how to open up the way for them. And he has a way of opening things up and we can wait on him. And then when he opens up the way, we see that it's all His doing. He could take no credit to themselves for this at all. This was all his doing. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
And here it seems to me and what took place we have a beautiful picture of the cross of Calvary. I like when I read this 16th verse where it says lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it. It always makes me think of what the Lord Jesus endured when the rod was lifted up upon him.
We sing in a little hymn, Jehovah lifted up his rod. O Christ, it fell on thee. Thou was forsaken of thy God. No distance now for me. Think of those hours of darkness. Think of the Lord Jesus as the one who bore the rod of God's judgment. As it says in lamentation, I am the man that have borne affliction by the rod of his wrath. And so that rod was lifted up.
And brought down upon the head of our precious Savior. And every blessing that we will know for time and eternity is founded on Calvary. It's founded upon what the Lord Jesus did there. And so here we find this brought in. The rod is lifted up and brought down, and the waters are divided and all. Doesn't it touch your heart, my friend, to think of what the Lord Jesus has done?
Isn't it good for us to just meditate for a few moments?
And think of what He endured there at the cross of Calvary when He took our place. Now there's no hindrance to the heart of God flowing out in all its fullness of blessing to us. If it came to us on the ground of what we deserved, there would be no blessing. We deserve judgment. We deserve banishment from His presence. But every blessing that we know or will know for time and eternity is because of what the Savior did at the cross.
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And that's why it's brought in here about this rod being lifted up and brought down here so that the waters were divided and the children of Israel went through on dry ground. Isn't that nice? On dry ground? This is certainly most unusual when we think that this was a sea. We know that even.
When the tide goes out along the seashore, why it's not dry ground, but here they went over on dry ground. Oh, and God makes a way. It's a perfect way. It's a way where we don't have to, shall I say, have one bit of that judgment. The Lord Jesus said, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. And as the children of Israel walked through the Red Sea, the waters were a wall to them on the right hand.
And on the left, but not one drop of the water touched them. Isn't that blessed? And how often we're reminded of what the Lord Jesus endured for us. We God would never have us forget it.
When we gather on Lord's Day morning to remember our precious Savior in His death, we, as it were, stand upon dry ground. But we remember the time when the waves and the billows rolled over our precious Savior, and we see them as it were beside us, a wall protecting us, but not one drop of the judgment upon us. How isn't it blessed for us to know this? Well, this was the deliverance that God wrought for His people and brought them through.
The Red Sea there and brought them right over on the other side.
He didn't want them to go back. He didn't tell them you must fight the Egyptians. No, that wasn't the way he told them that they were just to go on that ground that he had provided.
Then in the 19th verse, until the way was opened, we read something. Here in the 19th verse, the Angel of God, which was before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud went from before their face and stood behind them. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. And it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to thee.
Saw that the one came not near the other all the night. What a scene this was.
Just think these million Israelites, and as they looked at that cloud, it gave them light, saw that their camp wasn't in darkness that night as God was opening the way for them to take them through the Red Sea, why they weren't in the dark there, they could look up and that cloud was giving them light. The assurance to them the God was for them, that God before us who can be against us.
But what did it look like to the Egyptians? Why it was darkness to them?
Don't expect the world to understand you, it says in first John 3. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. They don't understand how the Lord guides us. They don't understand when we say, well, I'm going to trust the Lord, They say, oh, you've got to do this and you've got to do that. But when we say, well, I'm going to trust the Lord, Why? It's darkness to them.
But oh how different for us. It gives light to our souls and all.
All hot peace we have often found in the midst of a difficulty that seemed impossible to us. The Lord gave us that peace that passes all understanding in just trusting Him. But to the others it was darkness. And what did it create? It created a separation. A separation between the Egyptians and the children of Israel. A separation of God intends to be maintained.
Because it says we are not of the world.
Even as Christ is not of the world, he tells us not to make yokes with the world be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, because those things that are light to us are darkness to them. Those things that give us joy are no joy to them. And so in that secret of our lives, we can only really enjoy these things in communion with the Lord and with other believers. We can never enjoy them in communion with the world, because the world.
Will never understand God's care, and that which we enjoy of his presence as our portion. So they came not near each other, and brethren, may the Lord keep us a separated people unto Himself, it says. Very early in the church's history, it says.
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It says and being let go, they went to their own company. And it's a great thing for us. We should be a witness to the world of what the Lord has done for us. And the Lord does send us to them to be a testimony and to preach the gospel to them. But as to our personal lives, why, for a people who are separated from this world, we don't have that which we can enjoy in common with them in our portion that we have in Christ.
So it tells us then.
In this 21St verse. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong E wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Now we come to the 23rd verse, and it says the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his Chariots, and his horsemen.
I believe this brings before us how we find so much.
Profession empty profession round about us. There may be those sitting in the very seats in this room. You're sitting alongside those who belong to Christ. You have identified yourself with those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. But God knows your heart. The scripture says the Lord knoweth them that are his. If you had been there that night, you could have said well passing through that sea, our people who.
Have been sheltered by the blood people who have put their trust in the Lord. But look, all those Egyptians are going through too. Yes, the world is full of false profession.
But there are terrorists among the wheat. They may deceive us, but they don't deceive God. And I just want to say if there's any young person here tonight or older one, and you've made a lip profession of the Lord Jesus, but there's never been a heart transaction. You've never received. The Lord is your Savior. You may be following along with other Christians. That's what it means in the 6th of Hebrews when it talks of those who were partakers of the good word of God and of these.
Things and you may even be a partaker of many of the good things that Christians enjoy. You may be able to enter in in some measure to the warmth that is felt among them. But remember, if you haven't got living faith, it's going to be manifested someday. It's going to be brought to light. And it wasn't very long until God made it manifest.
Who were really crossing that Red Sea in faith as those who had been under the shelter of the blood.
And those who were only doing it trying to follow along with the others without faith.
It says in the 11TH chapter of Hebrews by faith the children of Israel pass through the Red Sea is by dry land, which the Egyptians are saying to do were drowned. Yes, they attempted. Oh I beg of you not to be satisfied with an empty profession if you have never received Christ as your Savior all do it tonight because the next verse says.
The 24th verse it came to pass that in the morning watch the Lord looked.
Under the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians and took off their chariot wheels that they drove them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel to the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
Speaks here about the morning watch and the coming of the Lord Jesus is spoken of as the bright and morning star and it tells us later on in the.
27th Birth. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled against it. And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. So we see here before this time came, when the morning star appeared, and when the waters returned to their strength.
Why they they started to go back, they said well, the Lord is fighting for.
For Israel and their chariot wheels were taken off and they decided that they'd turn back. That's what we see taking place in Christendom today. We see the breakdown of false profession on every hand. We see people who once professed the truths of Christianity turning to all kinds of things. It amazes one to find in a Christian land like this. People who worship Satan, people who have accepted Eastern religions, they're turning their.
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Back upon the profession of Christianity the wheels of their Chariots have been taken off and they say let's go back it's the apostasy which is already beginning but will not come to its whole bloom until after the church is gone so they they started back they said let's give up all this Christianity let's go back we're not going to go along with all this and so when they saw that the children of Israel were.
Beginning to come up on the other side of the Red Sea, they were going back, and then, it says, when the morning appeared, Moses stretched forth his hand, and the waters returned to their strength.
When the Lord Jesus comes and takes his own to glory, judgment is going to come upon this world, and all those who have the lamp without the oil are going to find themselves on the outside of the door.
Those foolish virgins who had said they were going forth to meet the bridegroom, but they had no oil in their lamps. When the time came, the door was shut. They were on the wrong side of the door. And oh, I just say again to any who are professors, flee from the wrath to come. Take the Lord Jesus as your Savior tonight. Don't go on without Him any longer.
Now it's still a day of grace. You can still be saved.
But it says here, in the end of this chapter, that as far as the children of Israel were concerned, the 29th verse, they walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were awhile unto them, and their right hand, and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians. The 31St verse.
And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians.
And the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses. They saw this mighty deliverance, they rejoiced in it, and they came up on the banks of the Red Sea, looked back, and saw their enemies dead upon the seashore, and their hearts and voices united in a song of praise to the Lord. Well, brethren, as we think of what the Lord has done for us.
I say again, as I said at the beginning, is so blessed to know that.
We're not only sheltered from the judgment, we're not only given to feed upon the roast lamb, but were brought into an entirely new position and allow the children of Israel hadn't yet entered the glory, that is, they hadn't entered the promised land of Canaan. They could look back and rejoice and in this very chapter it says here.
In the 13th verse of the 15th chapter, Thou in thy mercy hath LED forth the people which thou hast redeemed. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. And it's beautiful why they talk as if the journey was all over. They had a long time still to go, but they said, Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. That is, they knew that this.
One who brought them through the Red Sea was going to bring them through the wilderness. And friends, Christ is the captain of our salvation. He is bringing many sons home the glory. And so they sang as if the wilderness journey was all over. Why? They knew the one who was their strength and their song. They knew the victory. They knew what he had done. And also tells us in the second verse, The Lord is my strength and song and he.
Become my salvation. He is my God. Listen to these words, and I will prepare him and habitation. And we don't have time tonight to talk about what happened in the wilderness, but it's very, very lovely to see that this actually took place in the 25th chapter of Exodus. The Lord said to Moses, make me a Tabernacle that I may dwell among them. And all the instructions were given.
Saw that God provided a way of blessing in their midst so that he could dwell among them, so that He could provide a way of approach into His presence. And I want to say this, if you know the Lord is your Savior, if you know that you've been brought into this place of perfect acceptance before him, it's your privilege to prepare him and habitation. It's your privilege personally to give Him a place in your heart and in your life.
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And it's your privilege too, to be gathered in his appointed way, for that Tabernacle wasn't built according to their plan. It was built according to the plan that God gave. And he said, Make me a Tabernacle, that I may dwell among them. So there was the enjoyment of his presence as the one who was leading them through the wilderness into the land. And there was also that where they could be gathered in their tents with the Lord there in the midst of the company as they passed through the.
Well, may we value the place that we have been brought into through the work of Christ, and may our hearts prepare Him in habitation. May we also give Him His place collectively, as we have that privilege that He has said. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
First Song in the Bible
YP Sing Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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I'd like to turn to the 15th chapter of Exodus.
Here we have some singing in the Bible.
Indeed, it's the first song recorded in the Bible, Exodus chapter 15.
Verse One then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him in habitation. My Father's God, I will exalt him.
Then passing on further.
The 17th verse.
Well, the last part of the 16th. Till I people Passover, O Lord, till the people Passover which thou hast purchased, thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for them to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. The 20th verse.
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out with her after her, with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, singing to the Lord. For he hath triumphed gloriously the horse, and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the Lord murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord. And the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There he made for them a statute and an ordinance. And there he proved them, and said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes.
I will put none of these diseases upon me which I have brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that healeth thee. And they came to Elam, where were 12 wells of water and three score and 10 palm trees, and they encamped there by the waters.
Well, as I said, this is the first singing that we have in the Bible, and it's a very wonderful occasion in Israel's history. I thought of it tonight because it's a great joy to see so many young people gathered together here and singing. These people, as we know, had been slaves in the land of Egypt, and God had provided a way that they could be sheltered from the judgment that fell on Egypt and delivered out of Egypt altogether.
I hope each one here can say.
I was once a slave to sin and Satan, but the Lord has sheltered me from judgment through His precious blood, and He has delivered me too from that slavery and brought me into position of blessing and favor. And so this was a time when the children of Israel had experienced God's great power in taking them out of Egypt. And it tells us in Galatians that the Lord Jesus died that He might deliver us from this present.
Evil world. And so we are. We belong to him too, just like they did.
And they had experienced God's power when they had come to the banks of the Red Sea by the Egyptians marched behind them. And we can perhaps in our minds picture what a difficulty this must have been. Here they thought everything was so well taken care of, sheltered from judgment, delivered by power out of Egypt in such a wonderful way. And then when they came to the banks of the Red Sea, the great host of the Egyptians behind them, there seemed no way.
If they went forward, there was the sea rolling in front of them. If they went back, why, they'd meet the enemy. And so they were just totally shut up, shall I say. They didn't know what to do, but I'm sure that they did just exactly what was the right thing for them to do. It says there was the pillar of cloud, and as they looked up in that dark night, it gave light to them. It didn't give any light to the Egyptians, but it says it was a cloud and darkness.
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To them, but it was late by night to those children of Israel. And I suppose many of us, after we were saved, had some kind of experience like that too. After we were saved, we expected everything to go smoothly and nicely. And then we came to a situation where there seemed nothing we could do. We just seemed to be faced with the sea in front of us and the enemy behind.
And we didn't know what to do, but I hope we can say that we looked up.
For that's the only way of blessing and deliverance. Dear young people, the Lord teaches us in our pathway how very helpless we are. We couldn't save ourselves and we can't keep ourselves. We have no strength for the pathway. Well, they looked up and the Lord said, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. And in a miraculous way He opened the path for them through the Red Sea and brought them safely over. And now.
As I say, for the first time they're singing. They really are rejoicing because the Lord had been so good.
And I like to try and fit these things into our own experiences in life because God says that these things were written for our learning, that read through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And as I face things in life, I like to think of these instances in the Bible and picture myself in the same situation. And now they have triumphed. They've come out on the banks of the Red Sea.
And here they are, just singing from full hearts.
Now the Lord is trying gloriously. The horse and his rider have he thrown into the sea. What a time of rejoicing this was. And I hope that many of us who have come down to these meetings have been encouraged and refreshed. I hope meeting all the other young people, hearing again about what the Lord has done for us, hearing tonight about that wonderful work that He accomplished. I hope that every one of us who sang here tonight.
Sang from our hearts.
Just like Israel did of the mighty deliverance that He has brought to us, saved us from the penalty of our sins, showed that He was greater than all the power of the enemy. And here they are singing. And Miriam, she wanted to have her part in it. So she gathered the sisters together, and she sang till with her timble, and they rejoiced in what the Lord had done for them.
We do have times like this as Christians.
And we just wish that it would continue. We just wish that there wouldn't be any bitter waters, any Mara ahead. But life is not like that. And the Lord didn't plan it that way. He delivered them out of Egypt, and then he let them learn on the banks of the Red Sea that the enemy hadn't changed his attitude at all. And there he was behind them, ready to devour them. And now, after all this wonderful deliverance and this great rejoicing and telling the.
What they were going to do for him. And you know, I think we do this sometimes at conferences. When I was a young person and I went to conferences. Well, I, I guess we were all just like that. I'll prepare the Lord to habitation. He's triumphed. He's done great things for me and I'm going to try and live more for him. And this was just exactly the burden of their song. They would prepare him in habitation. They had confidence. It says thou shalt bring them in and plant them.
In the mountain of thine inheritance, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established, they were just so triumphant and so willing to give themselves to the Lord.
But then the singing died down, it came to an end, and Moses told him they had to move on from that place. And the first day was pretty dreary. They didn't find any water at all. Well, perhaps they thought, Oh well, days are like that. Sometimes tomorrow will be better, but tomorrow wasn't any better at all. The next day there was no water either.
Can't you just picture yourself just as I did after you come away from a?
Conference. Do you think it's going to be better? In the first day? It's almost worse. There's no water. It just seems everything goes wrong and you think, Oh well, it's just today, it won't be like that tomorrow. The next day was the same, there was still no water. Did the Lord care? He had brought them out from Egypt and He had shown his power, but were just like them. We forget so soon and when He lets us face these kind of experiences.
We just wonder how we're going to do it.
Well, perhaps the third day would be better, but no, it wasn't any better at all. The third day was just exactly the same. There was no water. Until at last they did spy some water. And you can just imagine how their hopes rose up in their minds. Oh, at last we come to a place where we're going to have a drink. And when they went to taste the water, the waters were bitter. The waters were bitter.
00:10:21
The very refreshment that they expected turned into reverse.
And it wasn't a very pleasant occasion at all. And you know just exactly how they felt. And they began to murmur. Isn't this just like ourselves? We begin to murmur. Even after the Lord's been so good to us on so many occasions, we forget. And they began to murmur. And what did Moses do? Well, he knew where to turn. He cried.
Unto the Lord he turned to him. And dear young people, this is what I want to encourage.
You to do is when these days come, and they do come in our Christian life. They don't just come in the lives of unbelievers. They come in the lives of believers. Days when the Lord really puts us to the test as to whether we can say, like the psalmist said, all my springs are in thee. Now that is any resource that we are going to have, it must be in the Lord. So Moses cried to the Lord.
And the Lord told him.
To take a tree and cast it into the waters. And when he did.
The waters became sweet. And you know, I believe this just shows us that we cannot always see God's love in our circumstances. In in our circumstances, the waters may seem to be better, but we can't always see God's love at Calvary. He must have loved us when he gave his Son to die for us. He must have loved us when he did all that to save our souls from hell and to give us a place.
With him in glory and to want us as his friends. I've always enjoyed so much that passage in the 15th chapter of John where the Lord said, ye are my friends. I love to sing. What a friend we have in Jesus. But it's more thrilling to my heart to think that the Lord Jesus looks down on Gordon Hale and he says, you're my friend. You're my friend. What a wonderful thing to think that this is what he calls us.
You are my friend.
He said, In all things that I've heard of my father, I've made known unto you what a place of blessing we've been brought into. He is our friend, dear young people, and we can call him, and he calls us our his friend too. And he says, I've told you all things from my father.
Well, it tells us that when this tree was cast in, the waters were made sweet. It doesn't just say the bitterness was taken out, but rotted that the waters were made sweet. It was an exact reverse. And you know, sometimes the most bitter experiences in our life turn into the greatest blessing. I've often said that someday I expect to meet Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in heaven, and I'm going to ask them what's the best experience they ever.
On planet Earth, and I believe they're going to say the best experience we ever had was when we were cast into the fiery furnace. Don't you know? They'll say the Lord walked with us. We wouldn't have missed that for anything. That was a marvelous experience and we'll never forget it even for all eternity. And here, young people, that bitter experience, that place where you come, where the waters are bitter, maybe the best acquaintance you ever have with the Lord, where you prove him where you see.
That he's sufficient and where you remember that he loved you enough that you could say with Paul, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me, that he really loved me and he wanted me. And that experience then turns into a blessing in your life. It's not only that the bitterness was taken out, but it was sweet. And often I'm sure many of you are looking back in while I'm talking to some experience in your life that was really hard and you look back.
You think I learned something there that was really worthwhile, and I'll never forget it. It was actually made sweet. You brought the cross in. You didn't look at it just as a circumstance, but you looked at it as a display from the one who went to Calvary's cross because He loved us. Well, after this experience, then the Lord brought them to this place, which is called.
Elam and it serves.
There were 12 wells of water and three score and 10 palm trees. This was a rather more happy experience for them. And so after we have learned some of these things, the Lord often brings us to a very happy experience. And I'll just give this little thought about that passage, which I have enjoyed. There were 12 tribes in Israel, you know, so there was actually a well for every tribe.
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There's 12 wells for the 12 tribes.
And so the Lord has a well for you too.
The Lord has refreshment for you.
He loved all his own, it says, having loved his own which were in the world. He loved him unto the end. As often said, John called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. But Peter had just as much right to do that as as John did. Andrew had just as much right to do that as John did. There was a well for him too. And perhaps I could suggest too that the 73 score and 10 the 70 palm trees.
Means the whole time of our lifetime here.
The days of our years are three score years and 10. And you know, as you look forward to life, you think, well, what's going to happen in a few years? There's a well for there's a palm tree for every every year of your life.
The palm speaks of victory, and when in the little song, children sing the palm of victory, and it just means that there's victory over every circumstance, not just when you're 17 and 18.
And 19 and 20. But even when you get up to be 70, it's still the same. The Lord is the one who will give you victory, who will give you the grace and the ability to rise above all the circumstances that will come in your Christian life. Well, and I just won't mention very much more, but that was particularly what was on my heart, except to Maxim, the two chapters that follow, which really to me bring before us the secret of the enjoyment of what?
Been talking about in the next chapter you have the manna which fell daily for them and in the following chapter you have Moses up on the top of the mount holding up his hands. Now do you want to know the secret of your whole Christian life well let me say this don't forget the manna every day Many a young Christian can say the reason I got away from the Lord is because.
I neglected the manna. I didn't.
Read God's Word, I neglected it and I tried to go ahead in my own strength. I got so busy with my studies and with other things that I just neglected it. Oh, you say, but I read chapters that I don't understand. Well, you know, the the Bible, the Bible is a complete, harmonious whole. And I can tell you this that very often I'll read perhaps something in the New Testament and it sheds a whole light on.
Story I read in the Old Testament that I never understood. If I had never read this story in the Old Testament, I wouldn't really have enjoyed that because the spirits, the remembrancer. And I'll tell you another thing that's been a help to me in my Christian life, and that is when I find myself in some situation, I try to think of some story in the Bible where another person was placed in a situation similar to my own. And you know, I have found that the Lord never failed.
Me, there is always somebody through the Bible somewhere that was put in exactly your situation, and the Word of God told you that little story just to show you that others had been in the same situation. It shows you whether they acted wisely or unwisely, and it gives you the light and wisdom of God. And so read the Old Testament, read the stories, the spirits, the remembrancer, and then read your New Testament.
To where you'll find so much precious truth unfolded. And so again I say, don't forget after this took place, the next chapter is the manna. And it fell every day for them except the Sabbath day. And I just suggest this little thought. Sometimes we may think we don't keep the Sabbath. We remember the Lord on the first day of the week. But sometimes I think we can think, well, I'm so busy all week.
Shop on Sunday, I'll just catch up on my reading on Sunday when I have a little more time. Well, that special day for the Israelite, he couldn't catch up because the man didn't fall that day. He had to have gathered it before to have food for the Sabbath day. And so let me encourage you to read it through the week. And when the Lord's Day comes, you'll have something that you can give back to the Lord, something that you can enjoy, something you can give to your Sunday school class.
And be a blessing to them. But be sure to gather the manna through the week.
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Well, and that's the manner in the next chapter. Then they met Amalek. Oh, that What is Amalek? It's it's the Satan's power over this old fallen nature that we've got inside. And isn't he awfully powerful? And we're so weak. And you say, oh, it's just so hard, and you don't know how the pressures are. And I just feel so weak. It's all right for you to say that, Brother Gordon, but you don't know what it's like when you're like me and you have to meet these kind of things.
Well, Amalek came out, and the Lord appointed a captain so that he would go out for them and fight against Amalek. And Moses said, I'll go up on the hill and I'll hold up my hands. And he said that when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
Do you find yourself under a lot of pressure? And you say, oh, I'm so weak. The Bible says the flesh is weak. But remember, if you ask the Lord for help, he's stronger than any power of Satan. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. And when you ask the Lord for help, he's not going to fail you. And so remember, that hand is ever up on your behalf. It says he ever liveth to make intercession for us. There he is.
All you say, but I failed in that. I didn't ask his help and I failed and I made a mistake. Well, isn't it nice? There was the other hand. And what's that? Oh, that's his advocacy to restore you. Have you got away from Him? Well, there's not just one hand. Maybe you didn't get the help you needed because you didn't ask Him. But when you have failed, there's the other hand. And we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
And so we have the provision in the following chapters.
The Lord made for his people. And so I just thought of this to young people. Well, I heard there was going to be this thing tonight. I thought of the thing that took place in Israel a few thousand years ago when they gathered there and they sang just like I think a lot of us sang tonight, happy to be with a group that have know know the Lord as their savior and have known something of his triumphs for us. And we're just so happy to sing these things.
We like the story to end right there, but the story doesn't end with that singing. There is there was Mara, there was Elam, there was the need of the manna, and there was Amalek to come out and fight. But the Lord was sufficient for every situation. And I tell you, He's sufficient for you. He won't fail you. He's the same yesterday and today and forever.
And He's able to help you. There's nothing too hard for the Lord, so just count upon Him.
And turn to him and remember, yes, this little thing together, and it isn't the end of everything for us. There's a lot of other things that we're going to have to meet if the Lord leaves us here. But we don't have to meet them alone as we have in our chapter. There's a captain, the captain of our salvation, who goes before, who knows all that we have to meet, and has given us a new life and a new power so that we can meet it in his strength. Well may the Lord.
Bless and keep each one of us because we only have a little time left to live for Him and He wants us to appreciate what He has done for us, to live in the joy of it, and to count upon Him so that we might live happy and fruitful lives. I just like to close with what the Lord said to Abraham. He said, I'll bless you and I'll make you a blessing. And so that's what I desire for each of you, that the Lord would bless you and also.
That He would make you a blessing to others. So we asked his blessing now tonight.
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Grace
Treasure and the Pearl
John 6:28
Our Blessings in and with Christ
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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I'd like to turn tonight to the 14th chapter of John's Gospel. Just like to read a few verses in the 14th and also in the 15th. John chapter 14, the first verse. Let not your heart be troubled. He believed in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you.
I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. The 21St verse. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him not Iscariot. Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself?
Unto us, and not unto the world.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
Then the 27th verse, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you not as the world give us, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
In the 15th chapter. In the seventh verse.
If He abide in Me, and my words abide in you, He shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his.
Love these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full? This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. He are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.
And ordained you that ye should go and.
Bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, and that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He will give it. He may give it you.
Well, in these verses that we have read tonight was just particularly on my heart of how they bring before us that the Lord Jesus makes his home to be our home. He would have us to enjoy his presence. He would have us to enjoy his peace, His love. And as we trace through these verses, we'll see those things that are given to us to presently enjoy. It's the most wonderful thing that we can possibly have upon earth to realize the place of.
That we have been brought into as we sang in our little hymn. We can never forget the cost. We're redeemed with the precious blood of Christ when we think of how much he loved us. We were talking a little bit today of the wonders of God's creation. We think of this vast creation and as men get more powerful telescopes, they just learn more of the wonders of God's creation. But that only makes it more wonderful to me to think that God.
Would pick out this universe in which we live, this planet, I should say, in which we live. And it tells us in the 8th chapter of Proverbs that when he formed this world, his delights were with the sons of man. That he was rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my delights were with the sons of man. How wonderful it is when we stop to think that out of this whole vast universe, with all various.
And all that there is that God should have picked out this one particular planet in which to display His purposes and His ways, to reveal His heart and to bring us into a place of association with Himself. Surely this ought to touch our hearts. And more than this, it ought to create a response in our hearts, because how could we enjoy these things?
Without feeling a response in our hearts to all that he has done.
00:05:04
The Lord had just told His own about how He was going to the cross. He counted upon them, feeling this and realizing too, perhaps, that they were going to lose the one whom they loved. He was going to be taken away from them. He knew their hearts would be troubled. And too, when we think of this world in which we live, and we look out and see the condition of it, and we know that it rejected our precious Savior.
Why? Surely our hearts would be troubled if we didn't know these precious things.
Things that he reveals to us.
People of the world, as the scripture says, their hearts are failing them for fear and looking after the things that are coming. They see the collapse of everything that they once considered stable in the earth. But isn't it very blessed for us to realize that we can go on, as a little hymn says, through scenes of strife and desert life, we tread in peace our way, that we can go on in a world full of uncertainty and perplexity.
Where men's hearts are failing them and we can have the enjoyment of these precious things in our souls. We're the only people on earth that have a right to be happy. And we have every right to be happy because we can enjoy these things presently by the Spirit. And when the Lord Jesus comes, then we'll be there where we can enjoy all these things that we talk about and sing about in their fullness without hindrance above.
We will not have a different new life when we get home to glory. We already possess the life that is suited to heaven.
When we enter heaven, I believe that everyone of us will feel at once. Instinctively we'll say this is home. It'll just be the very place where our natures belong, because we already have the divine nature.
So when we enter there, we'll be at home. But you know here there are hindrances. And as someone has put it, part of the energy of the Spirit of God here in this world is helping us in two things. It tells us that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would, and much of the energy of the Spirit now in US.
Is to help us to keep the flesh in check. Then too, there's another thing that says in Romans 8, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. And so we find that the Spirit of God helps us. Perhaps someone is sitting in this meeting tonight with a bad headache or some physical thing. And you know what bothers us a certain amount? We're not fully free to just enjoy these things without hindrance. But brethren, it'll be the same Spirit.
New life that we now possess, but there'll be no hindrance there. He'll never have to help us to overcome the flesh, because we won't have the flesh there. He'll never have to help our infirmities. We won't have any infirmities, but He'll be able to do His blessed work that He wants to do with us even now. To shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, to bring our souls into the enjoyment of all those things that are ours.
He shall lead you into all truth.
For he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. So as I say, the disciples hearts might well have been sad, might well have been troubled. But the Lord said, in my father's house are many mansions that could be translated, many abodes. I believe the reason the Lord spoke in this way was because in the millennial temple, as it's described to us in the end of Ezekiel.
There were places.
Spoken of as abodes for the priests. And in the Millennial Temple, the priests will dwell right within the confines of the temple and enjoy a place of nearness there. And I believe that the disciples were really looking for the Kingdom. They knew the Lord Jesus was their true Messiah. They expected him, as we read, to set up the Kingdom at that time.
They said to him, Wilt thou at this time?
Restore the Kingdom to Israel.
They also said in the 24th of Luke, wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel? That was what they were looking for. And as they thought of their loved one, the Lord Jesus being taken from them by their hearts were troubled and sad. But he said, and I think this is so precious, he said in my Father's house are many abodes. If it were not so, I would have told you, isn't that a.
00:10:04
Expression. If it were not so, I would have told you, perhaps we could put it this way, that the Lord was really saying to them, I wouldn't have called upon you to walk with me in a path of rejection if I didn't have something better than what you had anticipated. They had anticipated the earthly thing, and the Lord hadn't yet revealed to them the heavenly thing. Indeed, we don't have it fully revealed until we come to the Epistles.
There were intimations of it, but not the full revelation of it. But he said I wouldn't have called you to walk in a difficult path following me in my rejection if I didn't have something better for you than what you would expected. And brethren, He does have something better for us than our highest expectations. And if the path may seem difficult by the end of it is bright and glorious. It's all wonderful that if we haven't entered into.
Very much of it now, by the only surprise, if I can put it that way, that heaven will bring, is not a new person, we know him here, but a fuller revelation of himself, a fuller enjoyment of himself, perhaps I should say, than what we can enjoy down here. So he tells them, I go to prepare a place for you.
And then he says and if I go and prepare a place for it.
I will come again.
His going into heaven in manhood prepared the place, because the the children of Israel were not able to reap the harvest until a sheaf of first fruits had been waved before the Lord. And when the sheaf of firstfruits was waved before the Lord, it was accepted for them were told, and then they could have the harvest. And so the Lord Jesus entered as the firstfruits as we read.
1St Corinthians 15 Christ the first fruits afterwards, they that are Christ at his coming. And so when he entered there Baleno was the assurance that the whole harvest is going to be gathered in and at his coming this will take place. So he said that he was going to prepare the place. His entering heaven in manhood prepared the place, and now we're just waiting for this moment.
At where I am there ye may be also. There's no description here given of the place is there, but just that we're going to be with him. And so I like to think of it in this verse that we might say that he's revealing to them my home that is as we sing sometimes his home made ours. What a blessed thing, that place where the precious Savior.
Was from all eternity is going to be given to us to enjoy, and we'll be in the Father's house to enjoy all that's in His heart. He came down that we might know He dwells in the bosom of the Father, but He wanted us to know and enjoy that too. And so here we have in this first part, my home, His home opened to us and for us to share it in company.
With himself, the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Now when we come to the 21St verse, the Lord reveals to them something that they could enjoy in the present.
That is.
He says in this 21St verse, He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. And then if you notice in the end of the 23rd verse it says, And we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
It's very interesting that in the original the word translated mansions in the second verse is the same word translated or abode with him in the 23rd verse.
The thought is that we're going to be in those many abodes. We're going to be in a place of nearness there in the Father's house. But the Lord was saying to his disciples, I want you to enjoy my presence down here. And so he tells them that if they would walk in obedience, that that would be their portion before the day of His coming. We're going to be in those many abodes above.
00:15:05
He said, if you walk in the path of obedience, I'll come and make my abode with you. Oh, how precious that is for our hearts to think that not only the Son himself, but we will come. And that is we can enjoy the Father's love. We can enjoy the love of the heart of the Lord Jesus here in this world now, and we enjoy that in the path of obedience. So perhaps we could say in this part.
In these verses, it's that he's saying you can enjoy my presence, you're going to enjoy my home, but before you get there, you can enjoy my presence. And if I might just say here in passing, there should be two ways in which we can particularly enjoy His presence. I believe those are brought to us in the last chapter of Matthew.
The Lord appointed a mountain where he would meet with his disciples. He told them where that would be, and they must put forth the energy to go to that particular mountain. And when they did, it says the Lord Jesus was there, and when they saw him, they worshiped him.
Well, you know, to enjoy the Lord's presence collectively requires some energy to come out tonight to enjoy the meeting required some energy. When we come on Lord's Day morning, when the Lord is in the midst, why we have to leave our homes, we have to come down and gather around himself. Well, how the precious thing it is to enjoy the Lord's presence collectively.
It says where two or three are gathered together.
In my name there am I in the midst of them. Is it worth putting forth the energy? Was it worth the disciples putting forward the energy? Didn't the Lord say, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee? Could they not have said, Well, spiritually we can enjoy his presence at any time, but it required energy. And so we might sit at home and say, can I enjoy the Lord's presence at home? But in order to enjoy his presence.
Collectively, it does require an exercise listening, if I could say it this way to his directions to be where he would have them with himself in the midst. And then when they saw him, they worshiped him. Wasn't the perfect group, you know, because it says some doubted and you know, let me come together. If we look at one another, why it's not a perfect group, but we don't come for that. We come to be.
Found the Lord Jesus.
But then when that happy little gathering came to its end, why then as they were about to disperse, he said, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world or the age. And so is that little company dispersed. They could enjoy His presence as they walked out individually. You can enjoy the Lord's presence in your automobile. You can enjoy the Lord's presence in your home. So there are those.
Two ways, but it's the path of obedience. The Lord said Judas asked the question. That is Judas, not Iscariot.
He said, how could this be? How would he manifest himself to his own and not to the world? He said you want to know Judas well, by walking in obedience to me, you will enjoy my love and my presence. Oh, how precious this is to faith. So we have his home brought before us, His presence brought before us as something that we can presently enjoy.
In the path of obedience.
Then in the 27th verse.
He says.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
We know the world's peace is always consequent on pleasant conditions.
When everything is agreeable and nice, they say, oh, this is a peaceful situation.
When there isn't any particular trouble, it's bothering them. They say, oh, I'm just at peace now, but their peace is dependent upon circumstances. But brethren, what about the pathway of the Lord Jesus? Oh, he had a path through this word.
World as the Man of Sorrows, rejection on every hand, misunderstood by his disciples with the cross before him. Why surely as the Lord Jesus walked through this world, it was not an easy path. Why they took up stones to cast at him. They suggested that he leave because Herod would get him. The path of the Lord Jesus was a difficult path, but he said, My peace I give unto you.
00:20:24
He walked in the constant enjoyment of his father's presence and company.
And so he could he could say, my peace. What a blessed thing this is. I believe that this is what it means when it says and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The peace of God is the peace in which God himself dwells. Have often said, do you think God was disturbed by anything that happened in this world today?
OK, now you say he knew everything beforehand and he's in control of everything. Well, he invites us to have that same peace, not peace with God. That's knowing Christ as our Savior is to have peace with God. But my peace, the peace of knowing that God is in control of everything. And that's the peace in which the Lord Jesus walked. And he said, my peace I give unto you.
Makes me think of the little story that I heard of a child that was on board deck.
And I was rather on a ship, and her father was the captain, and she had gone down into the room below, and she was resting in bed and asleep, and her mother was in the room with her. And the terrible storm came up, and the boat began to toss about, and she wakened up. And of course she knew as she was tossing about there that it was a bad storm. And she just asked one question.
She said mother is daddy at the helm, and her mother said, Oh yes, dear. And she turned back and went to sleep. Well, that's perhaps a little illustration. His peace is a peace that we can enjoy. When everything seems the very opposite to peace. It's the knowledge of who's in control. My peace I give unto you. The world doesn't know anything about that.
The world only knows things that they can bring about themselves, but for us.
To be able to walk, it's a peace that passes all understanding and it says shall keep or shall Garrison your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We need a Garrison on our hearts and minds, don't we? The devil's busy trying to disturb our minds and occupy our hearts with other things, but we need a Garrison, and the Garrison is to know.
That he's in control by peace I give unto you.
Now, when we come to this 15th chapter and the.
I'd like to start at the ninth verse here.
Has the Father hath loved me so? Have I loved you, continue ye in my love? Well, this is a well known verse to many of us I'm sure, but it still is a precious verse even although we know it well. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
That is, we are entitled to be in the enjoyment, the constant enjoyment.
Of His unchanging love. Failure in our lives never changes His love.
I always have enjoyed that in Malachi chapter 3.
Where Malachi is writing to the people of God in those days of Israel's history, when there was such decline, God had brought back a remnant from the captivity and brought them back to their land. He had miraculously undertaken for them. The temple had been built and the sacrifices had been resumed, and God had been very good. And when they came back.
They rejoiced.
That God had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to be kindly and favorable to them.
But you know, they didn't continue in the enjoyment of all these things. And when you read in the book of Malachi, God has to remind them over and over again of how they had forgotten Him and how they hadn't recognized his claims. But in the opening chapter, it tells us the burden of the word of the Lord by Malachi.
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I have loved you, saith the Lord.
Now you might have expected that if they had been going on well, but here it was at a period of real decline when the Lord was so grieved about many things that were going on. And yet how precious, how assuring those words, I have loved you, says the Lord. And they said, we're in. Well, he said, I love Jacob and I hated Israel.
Well, what kind of a person was Jacob?
If you've read his history very carefully, you know what kind of a person he was. Deceiving His poor old father, stealing the birthright from his brother, Lying to his brother. Also many things in Jacob's history that weren't what they should be. Had the Lord's love changed toward Jacob? Oh no, there was an unchanging love.
A love that continued in spite of everything.
It was a sovereign love. Sometimes I've thought of the two boys. It seemed that Esau was a nicer person than Jacob was. But the Lord said I love Jacob. I might just comment when it says I hated, uh, I hated Esau. That was not written while Esau was alive. Uh, the book of Malachi was written hundreds of years.
After Esau had died, you could never say.
While a person is living, the Lord hates you. But if a man dies in his sins and has spurned God's love, he will not be the object of his love in a lost eternity. What a solemn portion to be cast out from the presence of God, away from His goodness and His love for all eternity.
But I say it's a wonderful thing. When you think of this in connection with God's people, it doesn't mean that He was pleased with their condition. They were called upon to repent, but they were also reminded that His love toward them was unchanging. And indeed, I believe when we have failed, what really draws us back is to realize that He loves us in spite of all that has taken place. He wants us to come and own it.
He wants us to be restored, but his love is not changed. It's ever the same. Indeed, it's because he loves us that he calls us back. It's because he loves us that he chastens us. It says as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten scripture says even of parents he that.
Hateth is he that withholdeth a rod, Hateth his child, but he that loveth him chasteneth every times.
It's His love that even deals with us. So His love is unchanging love. So we can take this precious verse, thinking of the Father's love to His Son. Now that's the extent of His love. So have I loved you? Would you have a doubt of the Father's love to the Son? Then you don't need to have a doubt. How about His love to you if you're one of His children? Because it's as the Father loves the Son.
So have I.
Loved you.
But do we always enjoy this love? Alas, we don't. So it says in the 10th verse.
If ye keep my commandments, He shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.
This connects also with the seventh verse where we read my words and my commandments.
There is some difference between His words. There is from His sayings and then His commandments. But I like to thank, brethren, that his words and His sayings all have the power of a command where love is operative in our hearts.
You know when David said, oh, that someone would go, oh, that I had a drink of the water from the well at best?
Him that was only a saying. It wasn't a command, but those men who went and fetched that water for him loved David so much that they were willing to risk their own lives just to do something that expressed their love to David. And so when you and I read the word of God, we might say, well, there's some things I know we have to do, but I think there's some things that.
That we can be a little arbitrary about.
But I believe that when love is really operative in our hearts, then everything that he wants us to do has the power of a command over our hearts.
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When Saul of Tarsus was saved on the road to Emmaus, a road to Damascus, rather he said to the Lord, What wilt thou have me to do? The Lord's answer was, Go into Damascus, and it shall be told thee what thou?
Must do. Why did he say it must do? Well, if you really want to please me, then there's a constraint on the heart. I must do it. We talk that way often when someone that we love has asked us to do something. Someone very important has asked us to do something. I always say I must do that. We don't mean that we're under a threat about it, but.
Love makes us talk that way.
And so when Saul of Tarsus had a desire, then he says, well, you must do it. So I believe this is an important thing.
And I might say this too, that we often might say, well, I don't enjoy his love like I should. Why is it? Well, I believe that's why the 10th verse follows the 9th. I actually believe we should read the two verses together.
And that is, His love is an unchanging love, but the enjoyment of His love depends upon a state of soul.
We know that in a home, the parent loves the disobedient child.
But the one who really enjoys his parents love is the one who walks in obedience. And so very often a child at his rebellious will probably be saying, well, my father is showing favoritism, or my father doesn't love me as much as he loves the rest. And yet his father's heart is just burning with love toward him. But the child is willful and can't enjoy the love. And sometimes there's a hindrance, brethren.
If I can put it this way, we could repeat the ninth verse over and over again to ourselves, but if we're walking in a path of disobedience and self will, we will not enjoy his love, even though his love hasn't changed. So the Lord is saying here about if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. The Lord Jesus, as he walked here in this world, he always walked in the enjoyment in the.
Sunshine of His Father's love because He always walked in the path of obedience. Do you think there was ever a doubt in the mind of the Lord Jesus about the Father's love to Him? Never, because He was always in the path of obedience. When we get out of the path of obedience, the devil tries to put doubts in our minds. He gets us to think, well, if the Lord loves me, why did he allow this to happen to me? You see how he comes in? He tries to raise those doubts.
In our mind, but He wants us to walk in the enjoyment of that love which is in the path of obedience.
And then that little expression, my commandments, my commandments. Sometimes you're doing something and someone who is questioning it might say, who told you to do that?
And you mentioned a very important person, perhaps as a child, say my father told me to do that. Or in business, you mentioned the name of your superior. He told me to do it. Well, it's settled. And so if you and I are doing something and someone questions, why do you do it? Why? Just think, who was it asked me to do it? Who was it? Who is it that asked me to remember him in his death?
The Savior.
Who died for me at the cross? Who was it that asked me to walk in separation from the world? It's the Savior who went to Calvary's cross, that he might have me as one of those who are separated unto himself. And so when we stop to question about some matter, should I do this or should I not? Let's say to ourselves, Who asked me to do this?
Who was it? Why it's my precious savior.
The one with whom I'm going to spend eternity. So we have my love and my commandments.
Then we come to this 11TH verse. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
To me this is a very remarkable expression. My joy might remain in you because I only remember 1 instance in the whole of the pathway of the Lord Jesus where we read about Him rejoicing.
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And that is that I believe in the 10th chapter of Luke. And when he was rejected by the nation, the very ones he had come to bless had rejected him, he said.
I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. That's the only occasion where it says in that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.
Why? What a lesson that is to my soul. The Lord Jesus had come. He fully revealed all that was in the Father's heart and He had been rejected. Has there been something that's been a desire in your heart and it doesn't seem to have been accomplished. It just seems that you are disappointed and frustrated. You say how can I be happy? That was one thing I wanted and it didn't seem to come to pass. Was think of the Savior. There He was.
The One who had come in perfect love and grace were not perfect. We fail often, but He always did His Father's will, and yet He was rejected. How could He at that moment rejoice in Spirit? Because He took all his circumstances from the hand of God his Father. And so the joy in His pathway was the joy of doing His Father's will. Is there any happier path is?
When we read in Galatians, it says let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. I believe that simply means like this, when we're doing the work that the Lord wants us to do, and we can be happy because we're doing what he wants us to do.
Isn't there a pleasure in doing something for someone you love and knowing that that's what you?
You what they want you to do, we all know what it is to.
Go to a lot of effort to get a nice gift for someone that we love, and someone says, you're going to a lot of trouble. Oh, do you know who this is for? And so we're finding joy. Others might criticize how does my telling us we're wasting time, but we're thinking of the person for whom we're doing it. And So what is my joy? Does it mean a good job? Does it mean pleasant surroundings? Does it mean that everybody's acting nicely toward us?
No, the Lord wasn't always. He said, Reproach hath broken my heart. I am full of heaviness. He felt the rejection. He felt the misunderstanding of his disciples. He felt the rejection of the nation. What was his joy? I say again, brethren, the joy of doing his Father's will.
And that's the deepest joy in our pathway here. It's the joy that we can have to go on from day-to-day in the sense of doing his father's, our father's will.
And so I say about the Levites, they were given a service to do. And so as they did that service, maybe others might be doing something that seemed more important, but they could say, well, that's the service that's been given me to do. I'm doing it for the Lord. There is a joy. I say, may we know something of this? It says that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
So we can have that joy, and many of us have seen dear Christians who have had difficult lives, who have had to face a lot of hardships, but they had a real joy. And I believe the joy was the sense in their souls that what they were doing was what God wanted them to do.
If we're moved to goat with what others say and think, we won't know that joy. We must have it as a secret between our souls and the Lord. I believe that's what it means in Revelation chapter 2, writing to those in Sardis rather in Pergamos, it says, And I will give him a whitestone, and in the stone a new name, written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.
Pergamos was the time when the church and the world came together. That's what we see so much of today, the church and the world coming together, but the one who was living pleasing to the Lord. The Lord said you'll have in your soul a secret sense of my approval. And that is what I say again, that's what gives real joy in the soul, that your joy might be full.
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And then there the 12TH verse says, This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you.
When we're enjoying this love in our own souls, when we're walking in the path of obedience, then the heart goes out in desire for the blessing of others.
Almost every time we read about enjoying his love, then we read something about loving one another. I like to think of it sort of like filling a cup, and when you get the cup to the point of overflowing, then it goes out beyond the limits of the cup. And so you and I can have our cup filled, but I believe if our cup has been filled, then it's going to reach out to others.
You know, the Lord's love was a love that came from himself and that is being who He was. He was God the Son. Why? He was really loved in its source.
In First Epistle of John.
And the 4th chapter, it says we love him because he first loved us. In the new translation, the word Him is omitted. Perhaps you wondered why it just says we love because he first loved us. But I believe, brethren, that the point is that we have the capacity to love no matter whether there's a response or not.
The Lord Jesus loved whether there was a response or not.
He kept on loving, and so we love because we see something in another that's lovable. But God loves because that He is love in its source. And you and I possess that nature. Let's not think about whether that brother is lovable or whether that sister is lovable, but rather has God-given me the capacity to love as He loves? Well, I believe that we love because He first loved us.
We have, so to speak, and enjoyed a love that wasn't toward us because of anything in ourselves, but because of what it is in itself. God is love, and so He has given you an eye that capacity. And so instead of looking for something in another, how marvelous that we love in the same way that we have the capacity now because He loved us.
Then we have in the.
14th verse Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends, for the servant call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have received of my Father I have made known unto you.
Well, isn't this a very precious expression too? He are my friends.
Many of us know that little hymn so well, what a friend we have in Jesus, and I'm sure we all rejoice at the wonderful truth of it, that we have such a friend in the Lord Jesus.
I don't know hardly any friend on earth that you can tell everything to and feel perfectly at ease. But you know there is a friend to whom we can tell everything. A friend who will love us in spite of everything, who will never change no matter what we tell him.
There are very few to whom you can really pour out your heart, but he is a friend that you can do it to. But this verse tells us of something still more wonderful than that. It's a very blessing.
I say to know that we have a friend in Jesus, but I think it's far more wonderful to me to know that he calls me his friend.
For me to say the Lord is my friend is indeed a marvelous thing. But to think that the one who created the vast universe, the one who upholds all things by the word of his power, looks down into this little hall here tonight and sees every one of his own who's sitting here and says, these are my friends.
What a blessed thing, how wonderful it is to walk down the street in Vancouver and to think that the one who is up there in glory, who died for us, looks down and says that's, that's one of my friends walking along the street there. And he tells us that he hasn't called us servants, but friends. And all things that he has received of his father he has made known unto us.
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There are great statesman in the United States and in this world. There are clever businessmen, there are men in colleges and so on that have gigantic intellects. But who is in the secret of God? The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. Have often said the Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what's going on in the world.
Read all the articles that come out in the newspaper. Do they know?
Know what's coming. Do they know what it's all about and why things are in such a mixed up state? They're trying to find all kinds of solutions. But you and I who know the Lord is our Savior, we know what's coming. We have understanding of the times when we see the nation of Israel back in their land. It's no surprise to us. God told about that hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
When they decided to have the European Common.
Market a great statesman thought that they had really made a marvelous milestone in history. But man of God knew that was going to take place long before and we see the breakdown of society. You hear them crying. What's the matter with our society. But this precious book tells us how when men give up God, God gives up man. We find in Romans chapter one that when they didn't like to retain God in their nights, God gave them up.
In the three parts of their being, if you read it carefully, He gave them up body, soul, and spirit. He gave them up to dishonor their bodies. He gave them up to vile affections, and He gave them up to all kinds of false religion that got hold of those lambs. And it's happening right here in this favored country because men give up God. Who is it that understands these things?
The secret of the Lord is with eminent fear Him.
He said, I've called you my friends. You don't need to be taken by surprise. I've given you my book and I've told you what's coming, and you can just look out and see these things unfold before your eyes. And more than that, when they do look up, your redemption draws nigh. For us, they're just a sign of the near coming of our precious savior as we read in second Peter, it says.
That about seeing.
These things, he said.
That I'll just read it. I can't just quote it exactly. Second Peter, chapter 1.
Second Peter, chapter 1.
Verse 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Where unto ye do well, that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star, or the morning star arise in your hearts. So he said, we have prophecy. As we see this dark place, we have a light.
And we have the Morning Star rising in our hearts. That is, as we see things getting darker, we know that the day is soon going to dawn when the Lord Jesus, as the Son of righteousness, has His rightful place. And this causes the Morning Star to rise in our hearts. So may we enjoy this precious portion, my friends.
All things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you.
And then this other expression, my father, how blessed this is for us.
It says I have heard of my Father. And when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, he sent Mary back with a message to his disciples. I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. That is, He brought his own into that relationship that we not only know the Savior.
But as the Lord Jesus said, I believe it's in the next chapter, the Father.
Father himself loveth you so that we not only know the precious Savior who came down here, but the Father has been revealed. We had last night because ye are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying ABBA. Father, we can enjoy this relationship and so he's telling us here in the end of this 15th verse. I have heard of my.
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Father I have made known unto you.
In the 17th chapter the Lord says just notice that verse.
The ninth verse of the 17th chapter. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, For they are thine.
You remember that in what is commonly called the Lord's Prayer, the Lord taught his disciples to pray thy Kingdom come.
But when we come to the 17th of John, the Lord has been rejected as Israel's king. The Kingdom has been postponed.
And I believe the force of that verse in the 17th chapter is that the Lord is not asking now for the kingdoms of this world. He's asking for his own. The time is going to come, as we read in the second Psalm, when the Father will say to the Son, ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance in the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. It all belongs to him. The kingdoms of this world are going to become the kingdoms of our Lord. And.
Is Christ, but what is he asking for now? If he asked for the kingdoms of this world, why they'd become his. But the Father's time hasn't come. And so he says, I'm not asking for the kingdoms now, I'm asking for my own. And I like to connect this, brethren with that verse in Thessalonians that says the Lord direct your hearts and into the love of God.
And into the patient, waiting for Christ. The new translation is.
Because the patience of the Christ in our trials, we often get impatient. As we see the world getting darker, we get impatient. And perhaps he's telling us here that the Lord Jesus is waiting in patience. The reason he hasn't come yet is because he's waiting till the whole company of his own to form his bride have been gathered. And then he's going to give that shout and he's going to call.
To be with himself. And he said, I waited for you. I want you to be patient and wait while I complete my work in grace. Have a heart full of love, desiring the blessing of others, full of love in return for his love. But let's be patient, brethren, in the midst of it all, as we wait. That time when he descends from heaven with a shout when the moment comes.
And the last soul is saved. Why there won't be any more?
Delay. He'll come in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The brother said to me one time, he said I'd like to be preaching the gospel. When the last soul is saved, the Lord would just come in a moment and the seats would be empty of those who knew the Lord as their Savior president. That's what we're waiting for. And so he says, my father, how beautiful we can enjoy this relationship.
My Father and your father, my God.
Endure God. And then just in the 16th verse, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.
It's another thing that is very lovely to my choice, my choice. I was saying a few moments ago that we could walk down the street and think that.
We could be in the enjoyment of the fact that he's looking down and saying my friend, but you know, as I am in a crowd of people sometimes at an airport or someplace, which is a big crowd, it often touches my heart to think.
Why? I don't know why he chose me.
He looked down upon this world and I wasn't certainly superior to a lot of other people. It wasn't because of that. But you know, I have heard young people when they were chosen to do some particular honorable work at school or perhaps in their place of employment, he said. I was chosen to do this. And they feel quite pleased that they were particularly chosen. But isn't this more marvelous still?
That out of the vast number of humanities.
The Lord said, I want that person and I want that person and I want that person. He said you didn't choose me, I chose you. So all of this vast number of humanity, we can say I'm one whom he chose. I think that's what Paul was thinking about when he wrote to the Thessalonians, when he said, knowing brethren, beloved, your election of God.
Because as soon as they got saved, all their friends rejected them in person.
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He said, well, I've got something wonderful to tell you. God has chosen you.
Sure, it's true your friends don't want you because you've turned to the Lord from idols, but he said I want you to enjoy this. God has chosen you, so my choice. How blessed. And then last of all.
It says that she should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, and that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you. So last of all, we have my name, and as we go about in this world, His name is placed upon us. That's actually the meaning of baptism.
It tells us.
Galatians, chapter 3 As many of you as were baptized unto Christ have put on Christ. Now that is, the name of Christ is placed upon us in baptism, and we in this world are those who bear His name. Now of course, every saved person in one sense bears his name, but the scriptural way by which that name is placed upon us is in baptism.
So a man doesn't become a sophomore soldier by.
Wearing a uniform, of course, he becomes a soldier by being brought into the army, and we become a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus, but we have the privilege in this world of bearing his name.
Isn't it lovely that when anyone asks us?
Who we are and what is our affiliation that we can say I belong to Christ, I'm gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. What is your object in life? Well, the apostle Paul could speak of his object in life as being Christ. Where did he get his strength? I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. Who is his example, he said.
That this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
As we read in Colossians, in Christianity, Christ is everything. So his name. Are we satisfied just to know that we bear his name? It's the only name for salvation. It's the only name for a gathering center. It's the only name of the one who is to be our example. It's our object. Why, I say again, dear friends, Christ is everything for us. What a privilege to go through.
This world bearing that worthy name by which ye are called well, may the Lord grant that these little things you hear about people saying what we need is to have a sense of identity. Well, when you're saved, you really have a sense of identity. Hear people about finding themselves. Well, I found myself a lost Sinner, but the Lord found me and he brought me into all these things where I can say his home is mine, His peace is mine. He wants me to.
Enjoy His presence, He wants me to enjoy His love. He wants me to know that when I do things, it's His word. He wants me to have His joy. He wants me to know I'm His choice. He wants me to know that God is my Father. His Father is my Father, and He wants me to know I have the privilege of bearing His name. How blessed we are. May our hearts respond more. May there be more fruit in our lives for His glory and praise in response to what He's done for us.
Faith the Path of Blessing
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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7th Chapter of Acts Then said the high priest, Are these things so? And he said, Man, brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charon, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charon.
And from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land wherein ye now dwell, and he gave him none inheritance in it. No, not so much as to set his foot on, yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
And God spake on this wise that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into ******* and entreat them evil 400 years. And the nation to whom they shall be in ******* will I judge, said God. And after that they shall come forth and serve me in this place.
I'd like to turn back to Genesis and the 11TH chapter and we'll see this recorded in the Old Testament Genesis Chapter 11.
And verse 31 Antero took Abraham his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son son, and Sarah his daughter-in-law his son Abram's wife. And they went forth with them from ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan. And they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were 205 years. And Terah died in Haran.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house unto a land, that I will show thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee. And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him.
And Lot went with him, and Abram was 70 and five years old when he departed out of Haram. And Abram took Sarah his wife, and Lot his brothers, his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered and the souls that they had gotten in Haram. And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. And into the land of Canaan they came.
And Abram passed through the land under the place of Sikkim, unto the plain of Morah.
And the Canaanite was then in the land, And the Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said, Unto thy seed, will I give this land? And there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel.
And pitched his tent, having Bethel on the West, and Hai on the east. And there he built in an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
And Abram journeyed going on still toward the South, and there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt, a sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when they were come near into to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarah his wife, Behold, now I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon. Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say.
This is his wife.
And they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass that when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld a woman that she was very fair. The Prince is also a Pharaoh, saw her and commended her before Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house, and he entreated Abram well for her sake.
And he had sheep and oxen, and he ***** and men, servants and maidservants, and she ***** and camels. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh in his house with great plagues, because of Sarah, Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why settest thou? She is my sister, so I might have taken her to me to wife. Now therefore, behold, I wife, take her.
Go thy way.
In Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, and they sent him away, and his wife and all that he had. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into the South. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the South, even to Bethel, under the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Hai, and to the place of the altar which he had made there at the 1St.
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And they are Abraham called on the name of the Lord.
I were told in Scripture that Abraham was the father of those who have faith. And so if each one of us here in this room have put our trust in the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we can say that we are, in that sense, the children of Abraham now. That is, we are those who have faith just as Abram did. I trust if there's anyone here tonight who is not yet received the Lord Jesus as Savior, that you will do so. How important it is.
We should know the Lord is our Savior. Apart from Him, there is no blessing. This world is trying to go on independent of God. But there's a day of reckoning coming, a solemn day when God will have to deal in righteous judgment upon all those who have rejected the Lord as Savior. But I believe that there are many very practical lessons that we can learn from the life of Abram, and perhaps these can speak to us. This meeting was specially planned for those.
Who are young and so with life before you, how important it is and that we should have a guide, that we should have direction for our pathway. Where are we going to get direction? But from God himself. He is the only one who really is able to direct us aright.
There's a verse in Jeremiah that says, wilt thou not from this time cry unto me? Thou art my father, thou art the guide of my youth. And so there's another verse in the Psalms that says, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way, but by taking heed thereto, according to thy word. And so if you know the Lord is your Savior, God has given you a guide book and he's done more than that. He's also given.
One who is spoken of as the captain of our salvation, bringing many sons to glory. And if you know the Lord is your Savior, why your salvation is eternally secure. The Lord Jesus isn't all the way home, Savior. He's never going to let one of his own down. But you know, dear young people, we can have a smooth path or we can have a rough path.
God knows the path of blessing for us, and if we decide that we're not going to follow the light and wisdom and instruction of His Word, He's not going to give us up. He loves His own to the end. But we can bring trials into our own life, because whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. And so we can learn a lot from Abraham in connection with the path of faith. He not only was the father of those who have faith, but he also.
An example to us of God's dealings. And as I say, there is something that I can learn. Perhaps you can learn too, as you look at the life of this man of God.
For I believe it's full of instruction for us, tells us that whatsoever things were written aforetime or written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And as I read those verses in Acts Chapter 7, I just read them to shelve how remarkable it was that when God called Abram out from UR of the Chaldees. Why there's a whole outline given to us about.
What God was going to do?
He told him that he was to come into this lamb, he was not going to have an inheritance, that he was going to sojourn in that lamb for 400 years and then that God would judge that nation well. It shows us, dear young people, that God knows the future. He has a plan marked out for us and he knows the future better than we know it ourselves because.
Because he's in control of everything.
He's the one who is on the throne, as the scripture says.
He the most high rules in the Kingdom of man, and none can stay his hand or say, what doest thou? He's in control. And so we see that when God called Abram, I was able to outline the future for 400 years. Does he know the future? Does he know what's ahead for you? Yes he does. And he wants you to have a safe and a happy path.
Through this world, and I say again, if we would only follow his precious word with our eyes upon the Lord Jesus, it says thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And so I just wish to say to each young person here tonight and to all of us now, let us ask the Lord for direction for every step of our pathway. Look into his word. Never go contrary to this.
00:10:25
Work because it's God's Word. And then if there's something that there isn't a direct answer in the Scripture, or we don't have a direct answer for everything in the Scripture, but then we can turn to Him in prayer. He says, let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
And also I wish to say that the Lord has an individual interest in each one of us. He looks down in this room tonight and he has an individual interest here. As we read this story, he mentions the name of Abraham, of his wife, of his nephew. It mentions the name of his father. And so he knows all about us and He wants to guide us each one.
Individually, no two of us are alike.
When you go to school, why? I don't know how large the classes may be, perhaps 25 or 30, but God's school for us is not like that. He has an individual tuition for each one of us. We're all different, and he knows our frame. He knows all about our background. He knows about our families. He has, I say, an individual interest in every one of us here tonight.
And he wants us to come to him.
With that confidence that there is no one else that really fully enters into all things about our life. I've always especially enjoyed that verse in the Psalms that says pour out your hearts before him. Because I don't know very many friends that you really feel you can pour out your heart to. But there's one and you can just pour out your heart. You can tell them everything because he knows, He understands, and he cares.
It says.
Because he careth for you, the Father himself loveth you.
Then I might just mention too that before the call of Abraham he was a heathen. We're told this in another place, that before he was called they worshipped idols. So this is perhaps a little answer to what we hear people say sometimes. What about the heathen? Well, Abram was a heathen and God called him and so.
We can't always understand all of God's ways, but we can say, shall not the judge of all the earth do right? And secondly, we can say that God is able to reveal himself to anyone, anywhere. He's able to make himself known. And he revealed himself to Abraham and called him out from his heathen, idolatrous position. The God of glory appeared to Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia.
Now, this wasn't a very easy thing for Abraham, and it wasn't very easy for his wife.
History, ancient history tells us that Mesopotamia had made great advancements. It was perhaps a very advanced kind of society in which he lived with many comforts. And the God of glory appeared to him and said, get thee out from my country and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee. That wasn't perhaps easy for Abraham to think about that.
What he might say, must I leave all the comforts of Mesopotamia, and where am I going to go?
As we travel about, we're able to get a map, we're able to get pretty well any information that we like about places where we're going. But when Abraham left, God didn't tell him anything about the place that he was going to. He just simply said unto a land that I will tell thee of, and then a land that I will show thee. So you see that with Abraham, he must go in faith.
And that's very important, too.
Because the Bible says we walk by faith, not by sight. We must have confidence in God. If we're looking around and wanting to be directed by the wisdom of man, we're always going to be uncertain because men have very, very different opinions. The world is full of all kinds of opinions. Opinions about what to do, where to find happiness.
00:15:01
Why the printing press is constantly rolling off all?
All kinds of instructions about how to find some satisfaction and happiness, but you know it's not found in the wisdom of man. God let one man have everything that he wanted, and that was King Solomon. He said I withheld not my heart from any joy. He tried everything and his answer was all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Then he saved another man, Saul of Tarsus. He took away everything from him. He allowed him to get in prison, where he was even forgotten by his brethren. And this man was able to say in prison, Rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. Where is the secret of happiness? Is it in possessions like in Mesopotamia?
No, dear young person, true happiness is only found in Christ.
Christ is everything, without him you have nothing. And even if you're a Christian, if you don't give him His rightful place in your life, you will not find what you're looking for. It's only found in the Lord Jesus Christ. And Abram must learn this lesson and that he's called out from her of the Chaldees. And I might say too, a little word for his wife. This must have been a real thing for his wife, because when Abraham.
This call, perhaps you can picture the situation as he says to his wife, why God has called us to leave all this civilization, these comforts, all these things. And she says, where are we going, Abraham? Well, he said, the Lord will show us. Are we going to have as nice a house as we had here in Mesopotamia? Well, no, we're going to have to live in tents. Well, for how long?
Well, I don't know, he'd have to say as long as God says so.
You know, that's faith, isn't it? That's confidence in God. But oh, it's the path of blessing. The one who has learned to put his hand, so to speak, in the hand of the Lord and say, Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, has learned that true happiness is to be in the company of the Lord Jesus, in the path of his choosing. I commend that path to you.
One Christian man said.
The path of faith is worthwhile if it were 1000 times harder than it is, because it's the company we're in. You know very well I'd rather go over a rough Rd. a very rough Rd. in good company than over the smoothest Rd. smoothest highway in America in bad company. Yes, it's the company that really makes it. And King Solomon himself, that man who was so very.
Blessed, as we mentioned a few moments ago, that he withheld not his heart from.
Joy. He made this statement. He said, If a man give all the substance of his house for love, it shall be utterly contemned. That is, he says, I look on it with contempt, I gain something far more than what I gave that. He says, I looked on with contempt what I gave up because I got love. And what is the real love that counts? The love of Christ constraineth us, that we should not live unto ourselves, but unto him who died.
For us and rose again, and I say to you, dear young person, to live your life in the company of the Lord Jesus and in the enjoyment of his love, his true happiness.
So Abraham and his wife Sarah were called upon to take this step and we find another person that goes along with them, a man named Lot. Perhaps this speaks to some of us here tonight.
Lot seemed to go along with Abraham, but he didn't have the faith for it himself.
When Abram came out from her of the Chaldees, Lot came with him.
When he stopped in harem, lot stopped there too. When he came into the land, why he came along with him. When he went down in Egypt, he went with him. When he came back out of Egypt, he came with him. And there may be some young person here and you're just following along with your parents and the testing time is going to come sooner or later, whether you're doing what you're doing for the Lord or just to please your parents.
Now it's very nice to do what is pleasing to our parents.
But sooner or later we're going to be tested as to whether what we're doing is really being done for the Lord. The testing time came in Lot's life. He had to be tested. And poor Lot, his heart wasn't. In the past, he had only been a follower on. And So what I'm saying to you, dear young people, you have to have your eye on the Lord. If it's just on some other Christian, you're going to be disappointed.
00:20:10
The psalmist said I've seen an end of all perfection.
And if you're looking at someone and you think, oh, that's a good example for me, you're going to be disappointed sooner or later unless it's the Lord Jesus. He's the altogether lovely one. He's the one that you can really trust. So Lot comes along, and then there's another thing. Here we find that Abram allowed his father to take the lead in this expedition.
God hadn't called Terah, but Abram allowed his father to take the lead. You notice the way this 31St verse of the 11TH of Genesis reads, and Terah took Abram his son.
But we learn from what we read in Acts that the God of glory hadn't appeared to Terah. The God of glory had appeared to Abram. And so I say again, it must be a personal thing. You must be doing what you do to please the Lord. And Tyra takes over here. But Terah was not a man of faith. There's no mention in the Scripture at all that Tirah had living faith. He just was a man who?
No doubt loved his son.
Abram So he said, well, I'll come along. And out of respect for his father, I suppose he let his father take the lead. But his father wasn't at all prepared to come all the way into the land that God had showed them. So it tells us here that they came as far as a place called Haran called Charan in Acts Chapter 7. It's the same place.
And historically, they tell us that it's a place where the caravans come from.
From the east and from the West could meet and it was a sort of a place where you could.
Shall I say be halfway. And it's a very interesting thing to notice that that's where Terra stop. He stopped at a place where he said, well, I don't want to altogether break with the world, but I can see that Abraham has something. And so here they stop in Heron and they remain there for quite a length of time. They stayed in this place until the time that.
Terra died. We see that Terra wasn't.
Willing to go all the way into the land that God had shown them. And so isn't this a lesson for us? Is, is someone else hindering you and following the Lord Jesus? It may be a relative, it may be a friend. Is someone hindering you from following the Lord? Well, you say they're willing to come part way, but it's a sad thing here that Abram really didn't move on into the path that God had for him.
Him until after God had come in and taken Tyra away. And so God dealt in this, and he removed Tyrah. And when Terah died, Abram began to remember what God had said.
Notice in the 12TH chapter in the first verse. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house unto a land, that I will show thee.
All this came back to Abram's mind when this sorrow came into his life. Maybe God allowed some sorrow or disappointment to come into your life. Maybe there's been some friend or person that you have looked to and depended on. Maybe the Lord has removed that prop and He's testing you. This happened with Abram and Abram remembered that the Lord had said, Get thee out from thy country and from thy kindred.
And from my.
Father's house, well, he could have said, well, I am partially obedient, I have left my country because he did leave ur the Chaldees. He could have said in the main he had left his kindred, but his father was the one who was really taking control in his life and his father was not a man of faith. Is there someone who is not a true child of God or perhaps not walking by faith well, maybe hinders you.
Well, as I say, the Lord came in and he brought this all back to Abram's mind. And Abram said, I want to give the Lord his rightful place. And if there's been a problem and a trial come into your life, perhaps the Lord is saying the same thing to you. Maybe he's saying right tonight to you, I want you to give me first place in your life.
It says in Matthew chapter 6, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. There is no other place. The Lord will not occupy second place in your heart and mind. He must have first place. The scripture says that in all things He might have the preeminence. Are we willing to give him that place?
00:25:24
I was attending a wedding some.
Few years back and there was a brother in the Lord that was speaking and told about a young couple and when they were married someone had given them that little verse that in all things he might have the preeminence. He said I went to visit them and he said they had been married for I forgot now how many years, 15 or 20 years, and he said I was glad to see that text still hanging on the wall well.
The text on the.
Wall is nice, but it's better still when it's true. The Lord wanted to have first place in Abram's heart, not Terah, not Lot, but the Lord Himself. And he wants to have first place in your heart and mind, in your life and mine. So we see here that.
This sorrow that had come into Abraham's life, the loss of his father, was turned into a blessing. It is not a good thing when God allows the sorrows of life to become a blessing to us. Oh, how many of us have had to learn through trials and through sorrows. We sing a little hymn sometimes through waves, through clouds and storms, God gently clears the way. We wait his time. So shall the night soon.
And in perfect day. And so there was a blessing even in his sorrow, when he lost his father. And these things all came back into his mind. The second verse. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing.
Well, that's what God wants to do. He wants to bless us.
By the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, He has laid the foundation for fullest blessing to every believer. And if you are a true child of God, as far as your standing before God is concerned, you are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. You couldn't be more richly blessed than you are.
Someone asked a Christian one time, do you have the second blessing? Well, he said, I don't know anything about the second blessing. He said, I've got them all blessed with all spiritual blessings. Every blessing is ours. Sometimes we don't enjoy them. You might have a box full of precious jewels and you might just pick out one of them and spend the rest of your life enjoying the one precious jewel. But the box is all yours whether you enjoy them or not. And so.
Blessed with all spiritual blessings, may the Lord grant that we will enjoy more of what we have in Christ. The Lord said, I will bless thee. And then he said more than that. He said, I'll make you a blessing. And oh, what a blessing you can be. You say, well, I can't do very much. Oh, what a blessing it is among any in any assembly, in any family, in any group of young people.
Where there's one person who has a real heart.
For the Lord.
Jonathan might have said, well, I'm just one person, I can't do very much. But Jonathan was willing to risk his own life for the good of the people of God. And God used Jonathan to accomplish a great victory over the Philistines. He just needed to be willing. There was a little boy and he had a lunch and the people were following the Lord, and that little boy was willing to give up his lunch to the Lord, and the Lord fed 5000 people from that boy's lunch. There's no.
What a blessing you can be if you're just willing to give what you have to the Lord. So he'll bless you and he'll make you a blessing. Wasn't that far better than living in Haran Only you say, well, I like to meet the world halfway. I I like to go to the meeting and be with the Lord's people, but I also want to have my hand on both. That was Karen, but Abram left Karen and he came into the land that God had told him of and it says here.
In the end of the third verse. And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. That's because from Abraham's seed the Lord Jesus was born, and we know that He was the 1A promised seed, through whom every person who will ever be blessed will be blessed through him. So what a privilege was given to Abram, so it says in the fourth verse.
00:30:06
So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken.
Unto him.
All those words are so wonderful. So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him. He didn't depart because his father Tyra said so. He didn't depart because.
He didn't depart because his father Tyra said so. He didn't depart because at least he had some fellowship with Lot who was coming along with him. He did it because the Lord had spoken unto him. Oh dear young people, are we really allowing the Word of God to have its authority in our lives?
It's a wonderful thing to allow the Word of God to be the light, the direction, the guidance for our pathway. Let me quote that verse again. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
So Abram departed and it says, and Lot went with him, and Abram was 70 and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
He wasted a good few years there in in.
Karem. But now he's 75 years old. Of course I know people lived longer, but still quite a good bit of his life had already passed by. And maybe there's someone here and there have been some wasted years in your life. Maybe there has been. What? What do we have left? Well, we have the rest of our time. And Peter says that we should not live the rest.
Of our time to the lust of the flesh, but to the will of God. I think God tells us about Abram's age here because we might say, well, it's no use. I've wasted so many years and I've made some bad mistakes in my life. But we do have the rest of our time. And the rest of Abraham's life was a great blessing, a blessing to him and a blessing to others. And who can tell what a blessing you could be?
And the best time to begin is now that's.
That's why it says in 2nd Corinthians 5.
It says that we henceforth should not live unto ourselves, but unto him which died for us and rose again. So it tells us he was 75 years old when he departed out of Haran, and Abram took Sarah his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and all the souls.
That they had gotten Haram.
Why does it mention this?
Well, you know, the expression about burning your bridge is behind, and I think that's really what it's telling us here.
In other words, if Abram had said, well, I'll go into Canaan and see what it's like. If I don't like it too, well, at least I'll have a few things back here that I can come back to if I decide to return to Haram. But you know, if he had done that, there might have been a temptation when trials came for him to backtrack. And the Bible says, no man having put his hand to the plow and looking back.
Is fit for the Kingdom of God.
I'm sure all the young people know that little song that we sing. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back. So this was what Abram was doing. He said I'm not going to leave anything back here. That might be a temptation. If I get discouraged to go back. When I leave Heron, it's going to be for good. I don't want to go back. Something like the decision that Ruth made in the book of Ruth When?
Decided to follow her mother-in-law into God's land. She said, where thou goest I will go. Where thou lodgest I will lodge. Where thou diest I will die. In other words, she said, I'm not going back to Moab. They're not my people, they're not my gods anymore. She said the Lord shall be my God, thy people shall be my people, and thy God shall be my God.
What a fine decision and dear young people.
May there be real decision in our lives. You know that verse multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. And you know, some decisions are intensely important in our lives. Not that we can make a decision once for all and expect that we're going to live the rest of our lives on that decision, but there do come points where important decisions are made.
And it's so important that these decisions are made in the light of God's presence.
00:35:00
So they didn't leave anything back in here and where they could go back. And it says it's kind of a unusual way it's worded here. And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan and into the land of Canaan they came.
Did you ever stop to think why it's worded that way? Well, you know, sometimes we start out to do things, but we don't do them. We say, yes, I'm going to do that, and we start out, but we don't fulfill what we have said.
Well, my father used to say sometimes he said some people have a good wishbone with a poor backbone. Well, I think that's true too. But he not only had a good wishbone, but he had a good backbone too. He decided that he was going to go.
And he and the company, they went ahead and, you know, as I said, this was not an easy thing because they had turned their back on a good, comfortable civilization back in Mesopotamia. And now here they were coming into a land where they didn't know what it was like. They didn't know whether they would ever have a home in that land. And actually they never did.
Abraham never had any part of the land as it I read it. I read to you in Acts.
That he could call his own except a burying place. It says he gave him none inheritance in it. He didn't have one square foot that he could say this is mine. And dear young people, heaven is our Fatherland, Heaven is our home. I'm not saying that we couldn't have some piece of property that we should. We could call our own in the sense of living on it. But I believe that we ought to hold all these things loosely.
I used to wonder what the Lord meant.
He said to that young man to sell all that he had and take up his cross and follow him. But I believe that the Lord just meant this, that when he got saved there was a new ownership for all that he hath. You know, before you're saved, you call everything you possess your own. You say that's mine. But after you're saved, why? You say it all belongs to the Lord and I'm just his steward.
It all belongs to him. There's a change of ownership.
It's all his. And so if you'll have a piece of land, well, it's a privilege to use it as the Lord's steward. If you have a car, it's a privilege to use it as the Lord's steward. So that's really what it means. He didn't have any inheritance, but he had the Lord, and he was possessing it as the Lord's steward and just enjoying what was provided for him by God himself.
Well, it tells us then in the eighth verse. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sikkim, unto the plain of Morah, and the Canaanite was then in the land. I expect this is put in just to remind us that it wasn't all easy, because as you know, the Canaanites were great enemies of God's people. Even to this day we know that Israel have many enemies.
Back in the land of Israel.
And so he just mentions this to show that when Abram came there, it was not just a sort of an easy possession to come in and pitch his tent and live there. I suppose every bit was contested as he went along. And so it is the Lord Jesus prepared his own for this. He said, in the world ye shall have tribulation.
But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
World, he's warned us unto you. It is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for his sake. And so perhaps that's why the Spirit of God mentions here the Canaanite was then in the land. But notice the next verse. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed, will I give this land? And there he buildeth an altar unto the Lord who appeared.
Him.
Just when things become difficult, then the Lord appears to him. He had appeared to him back when he was in Mesopotamia and said, Abraham, I want you to leave your country and your kindred. He didn't appear to him in Haran because God didn't want him to settle down there. So he didn't have the comfort of the Lord's presence there. But now at last, when he has come into the place where the Lord wanted him by, the Lord appeared to him.
And when he came and found the Canaanite in the land, as I say, he might have been discouraged. So the Lord appeared to him. And haven't we often find it true? We take some step, we see new problems rising, and the Lord stands by us and says, I, I won't forsake you, I'll take care of you. Oh, how good it is. Paul was forsaken even by his brethren. And he says, notwithstanding, the Lord stood.
00:40:16
With me and strengthen me. So he gives the Lord his rightful place. He builded an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
Then it says, And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethlehem, pitched his tent, having Bethel on the West, and Hai on the east, and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
So here we find that he comes in and he has something that he never had back in Mesopotamia. He never had in Egypt when he went down into Egypt later in the chapters. But he had two things that are exceedingly important for us as Christians. He had a tent, which was a reminder that he really was only a Pilgrim and a stranger in the land.
And God constantly reminds us of this.
Heaven is our Fatherland, heaven is our home, Paul said. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God. What are we here in this world where heaven's representatives, United States, sends ambassadors to other countries? They represent United States in a country that is not their own.
And Paul said, I'm just simply a representative of heaven here in this world, and that's really what we are. So Abram had a tent as though he were saying, well, this is not really a permanent abiding place for me, but he had an altar. And that meant that he did have what is most important. He had a way of approach into the Lord's presence.
And all this is so lovely, God has told us.
The Lord Jesus in his prayer in the 17th of John said.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. Christians are not part of it. We find Christians getting mixed up in things of this world, but we're not really part of it. What would you think of the United States ambassador over in Canada? Have he got mixed up in the affairs of Canada? You'd say, well, he'll probably be recalled if he's not careful. Yes. It's not his place at all. He is to represent United States and Canada.
This is the Christian's place here in this world. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. So he was a Pilgrim there. He just had a tent, but all he had an altar. And all I wish to say to each one that you and I have that altar. It would be a miserable thing just to have the tent without the altar, to feel you didn't belong here and not to have one that you can talk to, one that you can approach to.
One who has touched and won your heart because the Lord Jesus.
Gave himself for us. He laid down his life for you and I on Calvary's cross. He was the true sacrifice. He was the one who in love to us, went to Calvary's cross and all. Surely we can say, as a little hymn puts it, love that transcends our highest powers, demands our soul, our life, our all. We belong to him. So here's Abraham now, and those places are very.
That we read about here.
He says it was a mountain with Bethel on the on the east. And I rather Bethel, pardon me, having Bethel on the West and Hai on the east. Well, I like to think of it in this way. These two words have meaning. Hey, I means a heap, and Bethel means the House of God. And you know, the sun rises in the east and it sets in the West.
And so it's to me just as though he passed on through life.
And he said, as I pass on toward the end, he had the House of God before him. And what did he leave behind? You say, well, if I follow Christ, I've got to leave a lot of things behind. Well, he said, I just leave a heap behind a heap. Paul said that. He said what things were again to me, those I counted lost for Christ. And so if you give anything up for Christ, it doesn't compare with what you gain.
Abram really was saying.
I leave the heap behind, but I have a House of God before me.
You know, some of us, as we get a little older, we begin to realize maybe when we're young, we think life has a lot to offer. But as we get older, we realize, you know, we don't leave that much that's important behind. What's ahead is so glorious. What's ahead? Glory shines before me. We have a home above. So this is where he pitched his tent. This is where he had his altar. This was a very, very happy place for Abram.
00:45:24
And you'll notice after.
After he had gone down into Egypt and got away, that in order to get restored, he had to come back. And I wish to say, if there's anyone here tonight and you've got away from the Lord, if there's anyone here that's got away from the Lord, why, In order to get back, you've got to get back to the place that you left behind. You've got to get back to the place where you give the Lord Jesus His rightful place in your heart and in your life. Nothing will be right until you do.
All you said but.
Abraham had good reason to leave that land. He when he came in he probably expected great things, but it says in the 10th verse and there was a famine in the land.
And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.
Well, this was not out of famine for bread, but you know, there is many kinds of famine that we can have in our lives. And I say this very practically to you, dear young people. There may be a famine in the assembly. Maybe things aren't just the way you'd like them to be. There may be a famine because you don't find a job. There may be a famine that comes because of ill health. There may be a famine for friends. There's many, many kinds of famine. And the Lord puts us.
The task, he says, do you really value my company most of all? Do you value my approval most of all? Or are you thinking about things for yourself, things that you can get? Well, Abraham was put to the test, Lot was put to the test, and dear young people were all put to the test. Some of us are a bit older. We've been through it. We're put to the test and the test is this is the Lord enough for us or do we have to go back?
To the world, do we have to say well?
There's a lot of things that I've been disappointed. I didn't think they'd be that way. So I'm going to try the world out. And so we find when the famine got grievous, Abram said, well, I'll go down into Egypt. And Egypt, you know, wasn't there. It wasn't watered by the rain of heaven. It was watered by irrigation. And it's used in the Bible as a little picture to us of how the world.
Tries to work out its own way through.
Through problems and doesn't rely upon the Lord and God brought his people, Israel into the land of Canaan. He says it's not like Egypt. It'll be watered with the rain of heaven. And he wants us to draw our resources from him. But he does allow these little testing times for us. And are we going to turn aside to the world? And when Abram decided to go down into Egypt, why we see that he left his tent behind. He left his altar. He was no longer content.
To be a Pilgrim, it wasn't important to him now that a breach had come between him and access into the Lord's presence. Now his big thing in his life was got to get away from these problems. I've got to get away. And he takes his journey down into Egypt to sojourn there. And when he starts down in there, why, he realizes that he's going to have another kind of a difficulty too.
Maybe things aren't going to work out as well as he.
Had hoped and so when he starts to come down to Egypt. Why he says to his wife don't you say that you're my wife just say you're my sister. I've thought of it sometimes like this to say that Abraham that to say that Abram was her wife was really to recognize her proper relationship to her husband.
But to say while I am a sister, why, that was really a denial of the truth.
Relationship that existed, you know, there are many, many who will say yes, I'm a Christian, I'm saved but do we realize, dear young people, that we're really part of the bride of Christ and that we belong to him. We're not just children of God, although that's true, but.
And, you know, it's amazing how the world will accept Christianity on some terms, but they don't want one who is truly separated to Christ, really devoted and belonging to him. When you're married, you know, you belong to each other. And so here we find that Abram decides that he's going to deny this relationship. Sarah enters into it, too. And what did he have?
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Down in Egypt.
Where he left behind his tent, he left behind his altar. He didn't even enjoy his relationship to the one who was his bride. Oh how often this happens. Those who turn aside into the world, they don't enjoy the Lord and they don't even enjoy the things they expected to enjoy. I heard it said and I believe it's true. When you're saved, you're spoiled for this world. If you're spoiled for it, you never can enjoy it again in the same way because.
You have a divine guest within the Holy Spirit of God. Give the Lord Jesus his rightful place and you'll be happy. But a Christian can't be happy, and Abram wasn't happy down there.
Well, you say he prospered though. Yes, so he did. He became very wealthy down in Egypt and sometimes when a Christian side steps the path, things seem to work out for a while.
When when the ship that Paul was on in the 27th chapter of acts started out why the South wind blew softly? Everything seemed to go well for a while until a big storm arose so it seemed to go well and it's.
Says Abram was entreated. Well, he became very, very wealthy. And I might say something else also happened. A young girl was brought into the home and then afterwards became the source of trouble and sorrow to his home for years to come. And not only sorrow to his home, but it's part of the plague that Israel are having right over now in their homeland is what Abram did in the story that I'm telling you about.
He brought Hagar back from Egypt and she was the source of trouble. And so you know, you say, well if you get away, the Lord restores. But dear young people, I want to tell you this, the Lord does restore, He restored Abram. But we reap what we sow We reap what we sow and it's a sad thing, you know, we can get restored, but we may still have to carry with us some of the results of our self will.
Well, I'm saying this to you in love. God desires your.
Richest and fullest blessing. He wants you to be a happy, fruitful Christian. He wants to bless you and make you a blessing. But there's no other way but to give the Lord Jesus his rightful place. It was a sad thing when Abraham had to be rebuked by Pharaoh, who was the king of Egypt and Janelle. Sometimes when a Christian gets away from the Lord, even the world has to say, well, I'm surprised.
The way you act, I thought you said you were a Christian. It's a sad thing when the world has to say that to us. If we get careless, they'll tell you. You know, I've often said the world sets a very high standard for the Christian. They seem to know how we should act almost better than we know ourselves sometimes. And they're quick to tell us if we're not acting just as we should. Support Abram got rebuked.
But I'm glad to say, and you're glad to notice too, I'm sure, that all this.
Produce something in the heart of Abram. And Abram said, I'm going to go back. I'm going to go back. And he came back and he came right back to the place that he had left. He came right back to the place where he had his altar at the 1St. And there the Lord communed with him. There again he pitched his tent. There again he had his altar. He was restored. How? How lovely. The Lord is able not only to keep us, but if we stray, He's able to restore.
Well, I trust that these few little things that we learn from the life of Abraham will speak to our hearts. I say, dear young people, for this meeting, especially for you, may the Lord encourage you to walk in the path of faith. It may not be easy. There may be testing times come with Abram. The testing time came when his father died. The testing time came when the famine came in the land.
Again, when he was rebuked by Pharaoh, these little things came.
But God's hand was behind it all. And as I said to you before God knows the future, He knew what was going to happen for 400 years afterwards. And God knows the future and He wants you to walk in the light and wisdom of His Word. May God use His Word to the blessing of each one of us here. Because God is the God of Abraham and we know Him now revealed in Christ, and we can say as we sing sometimes.
Israel's God is ours. The one whom they knew is their God is the same one, and He's been more fully revealed in Christ. May the Lord grant that each one of us, dear young people, may give the Lord Jesus His rightful place. The Lord's coming is near. We only have a little time left. May we by His grace live the rest of our time for Him. And He'll bless you and make you a blessing.
The House of God
Reconciliation
To live is Christ
Angels - God's Observers
The Assembly as Bride of Christ