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General meetings, Montreal, October 1974 Second reading meeting.
In the appendix.
Ephesians Chapter One, verse 5.
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Having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the Beloved.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he has purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times you might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven.
In which you're on earth, even in him and whom also we have obtained an inheritance.
Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted. After that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Brahma, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession under the praise of his glory.
Where were I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints?
Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayer. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, they given to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him the idea of your understanding being enlightened. That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of its power to us who believe.
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ.
When He raised, implemented, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far 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 have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is at body, the fullness of Him that filleth All in all.
Two or three people asked about the comment I made about Satan being in heaven, and I just thought perhaps if we turn to Hebrew a Revelation chapter 12 we we see this Revelation chapter 12.
And the seventh verse.
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not. Neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying, In heaven now is come salvation and strength.
And the Kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, the accuser of our brethren, is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they love not their lives under the death.
But we know that through different instances in the scripture. In the Old Testament, in the time of Ahab King Ahab, we have a picture there presented through Mickey I of the prophet of the Lord sitting upon his throne and the host of heaven on his right hand and on his left. And there we find there were evil spirits. One was sent to the aligned prophet in the mouth of all Ahab's prophets to deceive him. Then we find again.
The angels presenting themselves and Satan among them in the first chapter of Job and God giving permission to Satan to allow this testing in jobs life. And then we hear the Lord speaking too. In the 10th chapter of Luke I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. So we also learn here from what we read in the 12Th of Hebrews that Satan is able to.
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And access before God is the accuser of the brethren. That doesn't mean that he is allowed into the holy place, shall I say, where sin can never enter. But there is that in may scripture which sets before us the heavenly places, and we wrestle against Satan's power there. But in the 12Th chapter of Revelation, that is the end of any such activity on the part of Satan.
Cast down, never again able to carry on those activities that he has been carrying on through the Old Testament, and through the Christian dispensation, too, seeking to accuse the brethren. And we see how he has overcome through the blood of the Lamb, through the word of the testimony that is Christ's victory on the cross conquered Satan, and the full blessedness of it is seen when the redeemed are taken up there.
Completely delivered not only from Satan's power here, but.
As we know from the very presence of sin and brought into His presence and how that victory is manifested, I believe in Satan being cast out. I just suggest these scriptures as to why I made that comment.
In the In the Gospel of Matthew and also the Gospel of Mark.
Matthew 24 and Mark 13 We have the mention of the change in the heavens.
And the beginning of that change in the created heavens will be Satan being cast out.
Possibly the middle of the prophetic week of Daniel 9, but.
What I want to mention is, it's particularly interesting connects with our subject because at that time the Lord as man is going to take over all the administration of that which had once been committed to the angels and from then on the Lord with His Saints.
Will take over the administration of the heavens and that's why it says in the 13th of Matthew.
And also the second, the first chapter, second Thessalonians that he's coming with his angels because they'll be directly his angels from that time on. The man Christ Jesus and he will be over it all. But with the Church we have part of that in our the end of our chapter where he's head over all things as man.
All we can say too, that one reason why God has.
Out of his realm above is because there is the need of that wrestling for our heavenly blessing. Just like in the days of joyful they have to take possession of the land across the Jordan type of our death of Christ. But still they weren't. Was that every foot that every place where they put their foot they would they would possess.
And they had to drive out those enemies.
So that.
So they could have in position the land that God had promised.
And heaven will be richer and sweeter, and our enjoyment of our eternal person will be far greater because we have been in this conflict than if God had already cast Satan.
Until until the lake apart.
This pension also that it says in the 15th chapter of Job, behold he put us no trust in his saying she the heavens are not clean in his sight. I mentioned this because someone has suggested, well how could Satan be in a place that was so holy. But there is that which has been defiled by the fall of Satan. This is mentioned in scripture and as it's just been remarked, not until.
The Lord fully makes his power known. Will all this be cleared? And there will be the reconciliation of things in heaven and things in earth when the Lord Jesus has his rightful place.
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Is that all you referred to in Hebrews 2?
That is not put the world to come. Under the authority of angels. Is the Lord himself who is going to take that place as the administrator of all? Yeah, and then he respond when he comes. Cannons of the world should read all the angels will fall down and worship him because he's hidden now. And in the 12Th chapter you'll find, I think, that time when there will be a change taking place.
I under the administration will be transferred, but isn't it lovely here to see that?
It says.
In this verse we started reading with.
That all this, that he's doing, that God is doing all these marvelous.
Blessings that we are reading about here.
Are not simply because he's taking pity on us, that's true.
But it's because it's according to the good pleasure of his will, his purpose, and also that he's doing it for his own eternal glory and happiness.
Before we have noticed that in the six parts.
Says to the praise of the glory of His grace, but in the seventh verse, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
So it's the glory of His grace that has made us accepted in the beloved, but when the blood of Christ.
And the forgiveness of our sins.
Ah, we see another word. It's the richest of his grace.
And what a precious subject, beloved, that we have been made accepted in the beloved.
Jesus said we have been made accepted in Christ. It would be equally true. But no, the Spirit of God would remind us.
Of what that Blessed One means to the heart of the fallen, that He's his beloved Son who were.
When he opened heaven, this is my beloved Son, in whom I found all my delight. Not only have you and I poor, unworthy, guilty sinners that we were.
Been accepted, but it's in that one so dear to the heart of the Father himself.
Is that not the first?
Offering burnt offering was to.
Make a person accept it. When they put their head on the their hand on the head of that offering, that person was accepted because the offering was accepted. Would be the burnt offering, wouldn't it?
Nice thought, brother, and it's very true. And if anyone is looking into the subject of the offerings, that's a very important.
Thought you observe.
That it sends that perfect offering that is offered only to Jehovah, That the we get the one who brings the offering accepted, and we find the same props in connection with the.
With the face of Jehovah.
When it's the the lamb you know for.
The observance of the Passover.
Plane lamp.
It's one subject, but when we come to his resurrection, and that's in the way she presented to to Jehovah, there's no question about the meaning there, because the 1St Corinthians 15 tells us that now it's Christ risen from the dead.
And become the first fruits of them that slept. So it's a risen Christ and the Lord we're accepted in that risen, glorified one who is the full, the light of the Father's heart, the overcover in Revelation, the first one, the promises the tree of life to feed upon the tree of life. The last one is to reign with Christ. Now I believe in.
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In reviewing these blessings and meditating on them that we have in the first chapter, we discover differences.
And what has just been mentioned in this verse?
Made us accepted in the beloved. There we have the richest portion. And this goes along with the the third chapter, where we have the truth that's connected with the inner man.
Because there we get the riches of his glory, the riches now, in that connection, the riches of his glory.
It's to know Christ.
That's the riches of his glory.
And to know him and where as it says.
Passes knowledge.
In the 19 verse of the third chapter to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
That you might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Well, that's connected I think with the subject just mentioned of the bird offering because it's feeding on that which the father himself delights in. And there are certain offerings that were spoken of as sweet savor offerings.
And we have that in the epistle of John that we've been called to the fellowship of the Father and of his Son, Jesus Christ. And what fellowship is that? Well, to delight in the very same thing that they delight in. Now, it'll be a wonderful thing rather than to reign with Christ and that public administration of government for those years on the earth, but what we're Speaking of here is our portion for all eternity.
To be in that place of nearness, to be in the affections of the Father, and the enjoyment of them, And that in the Father's house was the full liberty of sons. Because, he says in the Gospel of John, if the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. And that means all the liberties, beloved, that belongs to the Son in his own home, does it not?
There's a wonderful thought for us as we look on a little portion in the second chapter and the seventh verse. We have this expression again, the riches of His grace. In our present chapter we have remarked that here is what he himself has purposed for himself, and the riches of His grace are to that end. Now when we come to the second chapter, we look on to the.
Marvelous exposition that is going to be given to us.
His children.
There in the glory above, it will be His delight to present to us that which our hearts don't grasp today.
The fullness of the riches of His grace. One thinks of the vastness of that subject, beloved, that will never be exhausted through all eternity, His delight to show us.
These his purposes in Christ, and there to unfold to us all that now our poor dull hearts don't comprehend.
Isn't it a wonderful thing to have these assurances when sometimes we're a little discouraged in the pathway and we fail to rise to what we should be? Such scriptures as this should lift our hearts up to think of that which will be brought to us.
Full knowledge to know as we are known, and to see all of his purposes unfolded. It's been remarked before. I know that it bears repeating that when the Lord allowed himself to be tempted of Satan, there was that temptation when Satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And what a contrast when he shows us the riches of His grace, it will be through those.
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Endless ages to come.
Very care of referring to a brother Gill was that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in the verse. We're commenting on the 7th verse in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches.
His Grace. But now there is a superlative, isn't there, in the seventh verse.
That.
You're reminded us of in the second chapter.
That in the ages to comment only increases its magnificence, doesn't it, as we enter farther and farther into the subject?
Wonderful to think that it's all ours now.
We don't have to wait until that day. The display of it is going to be in another day about His hours even now. So in this fifth verse, having predestinated us in the sixth verse, He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In the seventh verse we have redemption through His blood and going on too. We see these things present things for us to enjoy.
I was just wondering if I could make a little comment in connection with the burnt offering because.
It may be that there are some here who haven't grasped the significance of the different offerings, and perhaps don't just fully know the thought. In the bird offering there were five different offerings in Leviticus, the burnt offering and the meat offering, the peace offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering. The first two are particularly godward and the last two are particularly manward, and the peace offering or the communion offering is the one that perhaps links the two, we could say.
And saw the burned offering comes first because it's what the work of Christ is to God. And when we were speaking this morning of how often we find that man is the thought in connection with God's workings in grace instead of God finding his own delight and joy, the display of his own glory, and the satisfaction of his own heart in what he is doing.
I sometimes spoken of it in this way that supposing I owe the great debt and I'm not able to pay it and someone else kindly pays the debt for me and my creditor gives me a receipt and it's marked paid in full.
But I know that he is satisfied. But I haven't learned anything about his heart. I don't know him any better by the fact that the debt has been paid was paid by another. But let us just suppose now that I have this great debt and the my creditor has a son, and he says to his son, I'd like to display my feelings toward my creditor and would you be willing to sell your house?
So that this debt can be taken off our books and so he sells his home, takes the money and pays this debt and it's wiped off the books and I receive a receipt in the mail and it says paid in full through the kindness of my son.
Oh, now this is altogether different than knowing that he is satisfied. This is far, far more. He's certainly satisfied. But I've learned to know my creditors heart. I've learned to know the heart of his son. And then if he were to tell me, and not only has my son paid your debt, but you're going to be brought into a place where you're brought into favor in him. Because I love him and I love you and I've shown my love to him and to you in what has been done.
Oh, how wonderful, brethren. And when we only think of our needs being met, that's the aspect of the sin offering and the trespass offering. But when we think that God's heart has been told out in the way it's been done, then our hearts overflow all. I wish to go to my creditor now and just thank him and thank his son. Well, this is the ground of all true worship, and that's why in our worship.
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Just to be merely occupied with the fact that we're out of debt is really a very.
Shall I say a low note of praise, but to be occupied with the fact that it was the telling out of the heart of the very one that we had sinned against, the telling out of the heart of his son, and the place we've been brought into in order to accomplish all this, all how different than is our Thanksgiving and our praise. And this is what is brought before us, brethren in Ephesians, And that's why it leads our hearts out to worship.
Not merely. That's why, I remark again, the redemption doesn't commend the seventh verse, but rather these purposes of God that He had in his heart and then his own blessed Son accomplishing the work so that these purposes could be told out.
We see that.
Beautifully illustrated in Joshua you were referring brother Barry to.
To the taking of the land and it might just for a moment to see how accurate the word of God is. And Joshua, Chapter one.
And verse 3.
Joshua one and three.
Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, well that was a future.
Verb there and a condition that every foot, every place that their foot was put, they were going to have.
Shall tread upon, but notice the change in the next part that.
Have I given unto you? It wasn't going to depend on their great power of their arms, but it was all related to them that God had already said they're going to have it? So we find that same truth beautifully illustrated, don't we? And in Ephesians there's no credit to us at all, but as we see the price that has been paid.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ. Or then we can enjoy all these things. So it's every.
Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, so I just thinking of that in connection with Ephesians. There's no glory to us at all, all to him.
Isn't that emphasized over and over in the chapter we're reading?
We've already spoken about what we have in the end of the fifth version is according to the good pleasure of his will.
Then in the end of the ninth verse is according to with good pleasure which he has purposed in himself.
And in the evidence that the end of the 11Th verse, according to the purpose of him, will work with all things after the council of his own will, God's purpose has never failed. They're always carried out, or will be.
But how good are yes or no, as you're Speaking of what we have in Joshua 1/3 that have I given unto you?
They didn't have it yet, but he's given to them and for them to step in and possess.
Those little words that began verse seven, I think are important in connection with what our brother Hajo was saying.
It isn't merely that we have redemption through His blood, but it's in whom we have redemption, referring to the end of verse 6.
Accepted in the beloved? Well, I suppose God could have. It wouldn't have been the same. Wouldn't have been the truth, of course, but it could have been written that we've been accepted in the sun or in Christ. But here the expression is accepted in the beloved, and then it's in whom we have redemption. Sometimes the gospel is presented as as a sort of a free ticket, as it were, to heaven.
Heard a man one time say that on a street corner.
That you can get a free ticket to heaven by believing in the Lord Jesus. They don't think the word of God presented that way. It's in connection with a person. It isn't. It as if God comes and gives us something apart from him. It's in whom we have redemption and it's in the one whom is God's beloved. And I was thinking in contrast with verse 3 where we have we're blessed with all spiritual blessing in the heavenly.
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In Christ.
Doesn't say they're in the beloved, but in Christ. For I suppose they're the thought of being in Christ. He's he's a man of God's counsel and purpose, the one in whom God is going to fulfill all of his purposes and counsel. And in connection with that, we have been blessed in heavenly places. But in verse six, he's a man of God's pleasure, the one in whom God has found his delight, And that's the measure of our acceptance before him taken into favor.
In the beloved. And in this one who is his beloved is the one that we have redemption through His blood. I believe it enhances the thought of redemption to see that it's connected with the thought of the beloved.
Things do we not connected with redemption in that verse. And one is when you speak of the riches of His Grace, it's connected with the price that was paid, which is the Precious Blood.
But when you think of the thought of forgiveness, of sins, you think of being set free. So you have the two thoughts. Here I believe in redemption.
Been bought back because we were sold under sin. That's the second chapter in the first verse. We were sold under sin, but now we've been bought back. But not only bought back, we've been set free.
The forgiveness of your sins. And that was what was said of the man who had the palsy. He was absolutely helpless. The man who had leprosy had to be cleansed.
But the man who had palsy had to be set free. Well, they're both true of the Christian we've been set free. And that's a very important line of things. Because, brethren, as long as we have any thought whatsoever.
That anything within us or that we can do would help. Yes to our standing. We're still on legal ground. We have to see it all done for us, and this chapter gives us, if we enjoy it really in our souls, gives us full liberty as to the standing of the believer.
There's nothing in which we can boast, is there? I was thinking of First Corinthians four and seven, where they were boasting, but they had nothing really, no grounds of it. First Corinthians four and seven, it says, For who make of thee to differ from another? And what hast thou thou hath? It's not received now. If it's doubt, it's receive it. Why does our glory as if thou hast not received it?
Well, we had brought before us these frequent expressions, the first of the Ephesians, according to the riches of his grace, the thing that he has determined to do. And so there's nothing that we can boast of, because that standing that we have before gone is a gift from itself. That what she has given to us, well, if we think of what he's done for us, rather than making us proud, it makes us thankful.
Because we've received it from himself.
A gift from him.
When we come to the eighth verse, it says we're in here, for bounded toward us in all wisdom now reads that word, prudence, intelligence, having made no not to us the mystery or the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure, when in which he had purpose in himself.
God doesn't want his children to go through this scene and ignorance and darkness as to what his purposes.
In connection with our blessings.
Are actually to be. He wants us in intelligence. He wants us to understand and to enter into them and to enjoy them.
The position of the Old Testament Saints, how little intelligence they had in the and the mind and purposes of God, for the reason I suppose, that.
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Man was under probation and under trial.
Now the trial probation is all over.
Man has been proven absolutely helpless and guilty.
And now God can come out with all His eternal purposes and connection, with the blessing of His creatures.
So he says here, wherein he has abounded.
All the fullness and connection will want his before us.
Think about what the Lord says in John, that he had many things to say, but they couldn't bear them now. But he says all things that I have heard of my father. I have made known unto you. Now what is often commented, that the Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is going on in the world.
The men of the world are confused men's hearts troubling them for fear, distress of nations with perplexity. But here, as we read this chapter, God opens up to us the very purpose of His will and shows us who it is that is going to be the center of the whole scene. When heaven and earth are brought into the condition that is suited to the mind and purposes of God, we're not in any darkness. We know what is going on.
The lamp of prophecy illuminates this dark place, and this lovely 10th verse tells us what God's purpose really is, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. The dispensation of the fullness of times shows us that God has been testing man in different ways through the period of man's history.
About that when all this is through, why he has a man in his own beloved Son, who is going to be the center? All is going to be gathered under him, both in heaven and in earth, and we have been brought into association with him through that redemptive work of Calvary. More than this, nothing depends upon our will. We hear a lot in where we have the gospel with man as its object about the will of man.
But here we find that in the first verse Paul was an apostle by the will of God.
God purposed these things according to the good pleasure of His will. And then we find again He's made known unto us the mystery of his will, and then again he's going to carry out those things. He works all things after the council of his own will. How marvelous. He energized the servant to reveal these things.
That were in His eternal counsels, He's made them known to us, and all that he is purpose is going to workout, and it all depends on His will. It's not the will of man, John, one says, which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Oh brethren, when we get hold of these things, why how could we ever doubt salvation? Because it all depends upon His will upon the work of Christ.
And we just thankfully accept what has been accomplished and what is fully going to be accomplished by the power of another.
That history can tell us what has been. Speculation can tell what might be. Only God can tell us what shall be. And that's really what is before us here.
Having made known unto us is the mystery of the secret of his will, according to his good purpose, which he purpose in himself, but in the dispensation of the fullness of times.
He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him.
So that gives us the purpose of God from the very beginning of man's history. But now we're not like Abraham and even Daniel, devoted men that they surely were. Now we're brought into the intelligence.
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Of God's purposes have been from the very beginning. That is God's purpose always is the exhortation of Christ. Your Father is to say, brother, Hail man's thought is to exalt himself. God's purpose is to exalt Christ.
The fullness of time, brother.
Would that, would you tell us what that is?
Well, doesn't it mean all the different dispensations that have run their course?
Would that lead us to the eternal state? Well, this verse is definitely connected with the millennial reign of Christ.
Although it's been said that here the Millennium is like the port to the eternal state.
This is what we have in the 110th Psalm. It is not.
What you're bringing up, the Lord said unto my Lord, Said, Thou art my right hand until I make an enemy side footstool. And so it goes on to say, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. So this is this verse says that you remark Brother Barry is one that Gordon's father used to say was the central point of Scripture.
That brings us to 1St Corinthians 15, does it not? Where we where he finally gathers all things under his power as one who's serving the Father, and then he hands all things over to God, even the Father that God may be All in all. Is that the point that streets then at the fullness of times?
So in connection with that expression, the fullness of times, we know that it does refer to the Millennium, and it's the time of display when God displays what he has wrought down through all of the ages. We know that, as our brother Halo said, the dispensation brings before us the fact that God has been testing man. And there's been a testimony of God down in all of those dispensations, but God has been working too.
And man is writing a history of what man has accomplished.
Or what man has done down through the ages, but God has been working, and in this dispensation of the fullness of time he's going to display.
All what he has accomplished so that in the words that we have in the I think it's in numbers, you know, in the words of Balaam ye, what God hath wrought is going to be displayed. And in connection with the thought of the mystery of His will, I think it's remarkable that it's put that way, the mystery of his will. We know that of course it does refer to the fact that God has had from the beginning.
Of all of his actions in regard to this earth and man in it, he has had in mind this great scene of display. Of this great scene of glory in which Christ will be, which Christ will be the center, a great system of blessing and glory. With Christ the fetter. Even the I feel even the creation in the beginning of Genesis had all of this in view. It's the mystery of his will, but it's spoken of is the mystery.
Because it is apprehended at the present time only by faith. Now, when it's been, when it's brought into existence, all the world will see and all the world will know that this is what God has had in mind all down through the years for the display of Christ. And but at the present time, only those who enter into this by faith know this. It's the mystery of His will. It's what we can enter into during the time of testimony.
The time of display and that day everyone will know by sight. Now we know it by faith.
Speaking too of whether this is the eternal state, we know that when the Millennium is going on, there is still evil alone is judged, and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. So it is not until death has been completely removed from the scene now that everything now has been brought under Christ.
Because he must reign till he have put all enemies under his feet. But in the eternal state there is no reigning but all is leading up. And in the broader sense, the day of the Lord goes right on until the time when everything has been subjected under Him. But really it's the display of what is given in the millennial period when Christ reigns and heaven and earth will be brought under him, because it was God's purpose that.
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A man should be at the head, and the first man failed utterly, but the second man is the Lord from heaven, and so he is going to set everything right, and he is also God. And so when everything has been set right, and then we read, God shall be All in all that is God in Trinity. The Father having purposed it all, the Son having brought it all about the Spirit, the power by which it has all been brought about, now all is.
Completed according to those purposes.
And all is a complete rest. So the whole scene, the eternal state as our brother said the.
Millennium is about the introduction to this, so I was thinking of Revelation 10.
And verse 7.
But in the days of the voice of the 7th Angel, when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets, and that is.
Then passing on to the 11Th chapter in the 15th verse and the 7th Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord.
And of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and 20 elders which sat before God on their faces, on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worship God, saying, We give thee thanks. So, Lord God Almighty, which art and was, and aren't to come, because thou has taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry that his man thought that he could set things right himself.
Now he's angry when he finds out that this great secret that was in the heart of God has now come to the time when it's to be fulfilled. Christ is to take his rightful place. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, the four and 20 elders who represent the redeemed. Not down here learning it as we are this afternoon, to enjoy it by faith, but seeing it unfolded before our very eyes is a blessed reality.
What a day that will be when we see the Lord Jesus take his rightful place and then that great secret as far as the world is concerned, will all be unraveled. It will no longer be an object of faith. As our brother said, it'll be open before the eyes of man, principalities, powers, everything will. Everyone will see this brand and glorious purpose of God Christ taking his rightful place.
How little we realize how near this moment is.
In the world that they should exercise our souls as to the nearness of the Lords coming. Not that that would be the one thing that prompted, but at least it should exercise this as to what's coming.
The inflation that's in the world.
Men are powerless to control it. It's something that has developed that's beyond the wisest men. They meet together, but they can't stop it. And what is going to lead you, No one knows.
Perplexity, it says. That is, no one knows, except the children of God who read the word, how remarkable that he has unfolded these things to us. I thought of the days when Nehemiah, with his company, returned and they rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem.
Part of the plan of that wall was a stairway on the inside that went to the top.
Now those outside knew nothing of what was going on inside the day. They could not discern what Goths people were experiencing, but it was a privilege of those inside to mount the stairs and to look out. They could see for a great distance around. Their vision was broad and isn't that something like the believer today? We may be the **** of some ridicule on the part of the corners.
And scoffers, because they don't know we are hedged about with a wall, We are inside the place of privilege, but we well know that which is to come if we are diligent in looking at this word not only as to this world, but as we are so fully had before us. God's purposes for us too. It's all here, isn't it? In the Word revealed and open if we just enlarge our hearts to be engaged with it.
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They're just touring verses that I would like to refer to that.
Sums up the the thoughts of men and the and God's answer. And that's the song 12 verses four and five. I think you'll recall these verses Psalm 12/4 and five. The attitude of man who have said with our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own who is Lord over us. That's the fourth verse. And the third says the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speakers proud things.
Well then, in the second song.
Verse 5.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
This is the answer.
In the 11Th verse it says in boom also we have occasion inheritance. I think you'll find in these verses when he says we he's referring to the Jews. But when he says as in the in the 13th verse in whom ye also trusted after he heard the word truth.
The Gentiles are the subject.
Speaking of the Jews who believed at that time, and they're referred to together with the Gentiles in the second chapter.
All brought together in one, Yes, and raise us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Is that why the 12Th verse? It says that we that still the Jews who had believed?
Should be to the praise of his glory and the new translation reads, Who pre trusted in Christ because the promises made to Israel as a nation were associated with the earth.
Jerusalem, the city of the great king, and all the boundaries of that land, that glorious land, as it's called in the Scripture, all of those are going to be fulfilled, and there will be a remnant of Israel who will be here for that time.
And as that tenth verse says, there will not only be things in heaven, but there will also be things on earth brought under Christ. Well choose an Israel rightly look for that time when it would all be brought about on earth. But what about a Jew who believes now? Well he pre trusts in Christ.
He puts his trust in him before the time that the nation as a whole puts their trust in him. And so Paul could speak of himself as one born out of due time. Because in another day, as we're told, a nation will be born in a day, blessing will come as God is purpose for that nation. But God hasn't cast off his people and every Jew today who believes pre trust, he puts his trust in Christ before the time of Israel's national blessing.
Brought into something more glorious and blessed than if he were here for that earthly thing.
No longer known as a Jew is he He's a part of the Church of God or the Gentiles. No longer a Gentile. He believes he's part of the Church of God.
Well, when it comes to the Gentiles in the 13th verse, and whom he also custod, after that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that he believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Well, the gospel was carried by, especially by the Apostle Paul to the nations, and we have an account of it here after they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. Well, Paul gives the gospel in the 15th chapter, First Corinthians, how that Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day.
Well, just like the house in the House of Cornelius.
And Peter preached.
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About the death and the resurrection of Christ. And then when he said to him, give all the prophets witness that through his name. Whosoever fire in my imagination I just thought of those people just looking at Peter and thinking how wonderful all that truth is. And then when he says Whosoever, then the Holy Ghost failed, they said it's false.
Not only for you, Peter and you Jews, but it's for us too. They were immediately sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Having believed your seal, we have we've had the God himself and his purpose at the beginning, and then we've had Christ in the 10th verse fulfilling the council. So now we have the Spirit of God, who's the one who seals the believer, and in these blessings we've gone over them now.
Shall we just recall them? In the fourth verse chosen us in him? In the fifth verse we have the adoption of children.
In the sixth verse accepted in the Beloved.
7th Redemption and the 8th.
Intelligence bounded towards us in all wisdom and intelligence and then in the 11Th verse.
We have the inheritance.
In whom we have obtained inheritance and now.
We have on this 13th verse really the Spirit of God indwelling the flavor. Now this tail he takes in. When we receive the Spirit, we receive the ceiling for possession, and also we receive the earnest, which not only shows us things to come, but assures our hearts of the of the full.
Blessing bodies of glory at all. But then we have the anointing, and that brings in the intelligence for the believer, but not only the intelligence, but the presence of the Spirit of God with us, The consciousness of it. The Spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God. And one more thing, the energy of the Spirit of God in power in our souls Now we have sometimes.
People saying, Well, I wished I had the power for this and the power for that. Well, the apostle doesn't pray that the Saints might have power in this prayer of his. He prays that their eyes, the eyes of their hearts, might be open, that they may understand the power they have.
Now he's provided in these blessings that were enumerated everything that the believer needs. But it's something like the disciples you know and the 9th chapter of Luke. They had been given power and authority to cast out demons, and then they went up under the mount, at least some of them with the Lord on the mount of Transfiguration, but when they came down to the ordinary.
Life began.
At the foot of the mountain, they were not able to cast out the demons. Why? Well, they hadn't been praying, and so they asked the question. We get it. Mark's Gospel.
Why could we not cast them out?
I says this kind can go forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. Now I think that's important to mention because we do have everything here in Ephesians 1.
But we do have the spirit of God in dwelling the believer, providing everything for us, so that we need to be before God and our knees, that we may use this power that's been made good to us and this intelligence has been made good to us. It comes only in prayer and fasting. Well, now we know what prayer is. But what is fasting? Well, I'm afraid that I know very little of this. Perhaps others may have to confess it too.
That there are many things in our lives that we could well do without that may be hindering.
The testimony of the gospel of Christ.
There may be things in our lives that we are allowing.
That are hindering someone from seeing the truth as we would like to have them see it. Perhaps this should be an exercise with us.
To sum up the subject of the various ways the Spirit of God has brought before us. But you are saying when you sum it up like this, that we have.
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The anointing for power.
We have the ceiling for security and we have the earnest for enjoyment.
That is, the earnest is like the first payment that's made to secure.
What is to be our our portion just like.
Man buys a house, he makes a payment on it. That's the earnest that the full price will someday be paid for the property.
So while we're here in bodies of weakness and humiliation and amid all the trials and sorrows down here.
We already have the earnest, the enjoyment of which in its fullness will be ours when we're with unlike Christ and glory. Could we say, brother, bury them, that in the 13th verse we have the ceiling, in the 14th the earnest, and although it may not be noticeable in the prayer, we have the anointing.
So that there might be the intelligence and power as well. And in Speaking of that, if you turn to.
2nd Corinthians, the first chapter you have a similar.
Line things. I think sometimes it helps to compare.
To keep it in the mind.
In the first chapter of Second Corinthians.
And the 21St verse, when we read the 20th For all the promises of God in him are Yay, and in him are men unto the glory of God. By us. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. There you have the enjoyment, don't you, the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
You might say that the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoken out a great deal today, and Christendom is not mentioned here at all because it is never viewed in Scripture as an individual thing. It's rather that which was the formation of the body of Christ on earth, and having been formed on the day of Pentecost, the body of Christ now exists here upon earth, individuals being added by receiving the Holy Spirit.
And then when they receive the Holy Spirit, these three things that we have spoken of are true.
And that is, they have the earnest, they have the ceiling, and they have the anointing. Now that is the moment. The Spirit of God indwells the one who believes the gospel. All these three things are true. We may not be in the full enjoyment of it all, but it's all blessedly true. And that's why I was thinking of 2nd Corinthians 5. He says he has given us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident.
I'd like to think of it in this way myself. Supposing I was going to buy a piece of property that was worth $10,000. And so I say to the real estate agent, well, I'll put down $50,000. Well, he said it's only worth 10,000. Well, he said I want to be sure I'll get it, so I'll put down $50,000. You'll be sure to make the deal go through. Well, what did God put down to make sure that he'd have us?
It says, therefore we're always confident he gave the Holy Spirit of God.
Poor worthless things as us to indwell our hearts to make us sure, To make us always confident that he's going to complete what he has begun.
It's a wonderful expression. The ceiling we also were sealed like you draw up deep or an abstract and then the government puts its seal upon it and that is as much as to say as long as this government exists.
That paper will will stand, can't be set aside.
And as well to call attention in this connection.
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Verse in the 4th chapter of Ephesians.
And the 30th, 1St and grieving out that Holy Spirit of God, whereby your seals along.
The day of redemption. That's the redemption of the body.
So those who who say that they might grieve away the Holy Spirit surely hadn't read her thought to understand that first.
That the very fact we're not to read the Spirit is because we can't. We can't grieve them away because he is in US and remains in US until we're in our glorified bodies.
Or how we need to be careful, but we allow nothing that would.
Grieve that blessed one your Father, You save other pay all. Be careful how we treat the divine gifts God blesses, Holy Spirit dwelling in US and all, how sensitive He is of anything that's allowed that brings dishonor.
On the blessed name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary, that the Holy Function of the Holy Spirit is like Eliezer the Servant.
Was sent forth by Abraham to bring a bride to his son.
The servant saw Rebecca safely through all the wilderness journey, but when the Isaac came out to meet his fried, then the servant withdrew.
Would that be the thought of the day of redemption?
That's my truck rather, isn't it?
Of lovely types we have in the word. And when we think of Eliezer, although his name is not mentioned in the 24th of Genesis, he's only mentioned as a servant there.
Along that long journey on the camel.
When Rebecca was to the desire way to meet a man that she had never seen.
All she knew about that man was what the servant had told in her home. Well, isn't that our position? We haven't seen our blessed bridegroom yet, Yet we have the ministry of the Spirit of God telling us all that, one that we're to spend eternity with.
Here to be united to as his brides. Well, what was that servant occupying Rebecca with? We might ask the question because if she forgot, I think it would be almost unfortunate position she was in to find herself with a stranger, with strange men that she never saw or heard of before, on a long journey away from her loved ones, so that if she forgot Isaac, why it would be?
Almost deplorable.
Thought But he must have occupied her all along the road, telling more and more about Isaac so that when she sees a man walking in the field, she inquires Who is this that walketh in the field? And the servant says it's my master. And we get, oh, how lovely that is, brother, conducted right up to the time when the bridegroom comes.
And then we are willing, united to him, share his Kingdom and his glory, and have the nearest race of association amid all the families of God that have their special place in that glorious scene.
That's in connection with what was said about the Holy Spirit that we do. Read in John 14 and verse 16. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.
That he may abide with you forever, so that much of the energy of the Spirit of God now, as our brothers just been remarking, is because of the difficulties of the way he helps our infirmities, He helps us to keep the flesh in check. But when we get home, the glory, the Spirit of God will still be active, but it will be to fulfill that blessed work that he came to do to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts.
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To bring us into the full enjoyment of our portion and of our relationship that God is our Father.
And saw them in heaven. The Spirit of God will continue to occupy us with himself only. There won't be any hindrance like there often is today. Might be someone sitting here with a headache. And you say, why I can't enjoy the meetings like I wish I could? Well, His spirit helps our infirmities. We may get something. Then there might be to the intrusions of the flesh that come in. And the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.
But in that glorious day when we gather around the precious Savior, the Spirit will be unhindered in leading out our hearts in full praise for all eternity. And the mind of heaven is 1 And when it says God shall be All in all, it's the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I like the little hymn that expresses it by the Spirit, all pervading host unnumbered round the Lamb. So he he will complete that blessed work that he has taken up to lead us through.
And even the quicken our mortal bodies by his spirit that dwells in us. But how blessed the continuing work for all eternity. I don't think that Brother Giller, and what I said that I had no intention of suggesting or conveying the problem that the Holy Spirit leaves us when He gets us to where we meet the bridegroom. For what you say is impressively true, and we see another proof of it.
In the first chapter of Acts, as we are to be like Christ in his glory, we read.
And they are the second verse until the day in which he was taken up. After that he threw the Holy Ghost and given commandment of the apostles whom he had chosen. So the Lord was still communicating the mind of God by the Holy Ghost as a risen man, and hears the pattern of all his Saints.
In our resurrection state. So if he is a leader, if he's the head of all, he was speaking by the Holy Ghost, so we can be sure that what you say is blessedly true.
Brother Hale and speak of being filled with despair.
Well, that's an exhortation. We also have that in Ephesians. Remarkably, these things come in here where we have this.
Very high Truth brought before us. It's Ephesians Chapter 5.
And verse.
18 And be not drunk with wine, were in his excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Now we read on the day of Pentecost that when the Spirit came, they were all filled with the Spirit then too, and they had been persecuted. They were all filled with the Spirit, and there was great power in the testimony. But it didn't always true of us that we are filled with the Spirit.
However, I wish to comment this, that in John chapter 3 it says God giveth not his Spirit by measure. Now that is, it isn't that God gives more of the Spirit of God to one person than another, but to be filled with the Spirit is to be yielded to the leading of the Spirit in everything that was true on the day of Pentecost. And it's an exhortation to us because there might be areas in our lives where we are yielded to the leading of the Spirit.
But there might be at the same time other things in our lives where self has a very prominent place. And so we're exhorted that there shouldn't just be, shall I say, a partial desire to please the Lord, but a full yieldedness to the leading of the Spirit and justice. As a man who drinks wine, he becomes under the influence of that, and he does all kinds of strange things at success. When we yield to the leading of the Spirit, He leads us, as we're having in our chapter, into the intelligent enjoyment.
And one of the fruits of the Spirit, let us remember, brethren, is self-control. In these movements where they speak of being filled with the Spirit, they're out of control. But the fruit of the Spirit is to be.
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Self-control. It's to be an intelligent leading of the spirit. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Again, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, so that the one who is led by the spirit is never out of control.
About is intelligently guided by the Spirit in those actions that are according to the mind of God, is directed through the Word. Well, that's an exhortation. It's not always true of us what to God it was.
There David. He was a man for the Holy Ghost. Well, it says. They looked on him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel. He wasn't occupied with his face shining.
He was occupied with grace so that when they take him out to stone him to death, he looks up into heaven and sees sees Christ.
Standing at the right hand of God.
The two you know, if you say, well, how is it that if we all have the same amount of the Spirit of God, we're not all filled? Well, if we're not yielded, you might have a very powerful car, but you don't step on the gas. It might stall on a small hill. The power is there, but we're not using it. And alas, every one of us have the same amount of power here this afternoon. But are we yielded so that that power might be used?
In occupying us with Christ and leading us into those paths that are pleasing to Him.