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Three, One 281.
Mary turns to glory, breathing God's course, and have many names on the March, of course being worthy of Standard Life.
Going to be the mind of the Brethren to complete our reading on chapter 2 of Hebrews.
Anyway, the crowd first.
Yes. To pick up the context, let us read from chapter two of the Epistles of the Hebrews, verse 12 and forward.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren.
In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee, and again I will put my trust in him, And again behold, I and the children which God has given me.
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For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.
That through death he might destroy him that have the power of death, that is the devil.
And deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bonding.
Regularly he took not on him the nature of angels.
But he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Wherefore in all things.
It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
And one verse of chapter 3.
Wherefore, holy brethren?
Partakers of the heavenly calling.
Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.
I much enjoyed the thought that I believe is intended in the last part of this 12Th verse. It's evident from what was said at the close of the meeting this morning. I will declare thy name unto my brethren that this is the Lord Jesus addressing himself to us.
As his brethren. But then the last part of the verse, in the midst of the church, will I sing praise unto thee.
Seems to me to be very, very beautiful. I think I've heard it referred to from time to time as being our privilege in the presence of the Lord to OfferUp praises. And that's a very wonderful privilege. But really, is it not here the heart of the Lord Jesus, so filled with joy and gladness at being surrounded by his own, that his own heart, the heart of the Lord Jesus?
Is lifted up in praises to his God and Father for the joy of being in the midst of his own. When we think of it that way, surely it makes us realize what a wonderful privilege is ours to be able us to bring such delight to the heart of the Lord Jesus, that such words of these could ever be true of him. In the midst of the Church will I, the Lord Jesus.
Sing praise unto thee.
My God reminds me somewhat of the language of Nehemiah in the second chapter. I was the king cupbearer. Now, when the Queen of Sheba came to see King Solomon, one of the things that so overwhelmed her was the sight of the cup bearers to the king, King Solomon. Perhaps it would suggest a cup bearer to the king as those whose privilege and delight it was.
To bring to the king that which brought joy and gladness to his heart. And this touched the heart of the Queen of Sheba very much. And Nehemiah says I was the King's cup bearer. Well, I rather rejoice in that, For it seems to me, beloved Saints, that it is a privilege entrusted to us as being gathered around the person of the Lord Jesus our joy. That's true. But to be a cup bearer to the king of kings, to think.
That as we come into his presence, it brings such joy and gladness to his heart that he sings for joy.
Sometimes, you know our young people.
A question why it is that we have no musical instrument to lead the singing. I don't say that the young people who have been brought up in the meeting, but some coming among us may be real Christians. I know that happened in Salem. They were quite distressed to come into our meeting room. And where is the organ? No longer the code instrument to lead the singing.
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Earlier what surprised it didn't come back. So sometimes a little helpful word on that subject might be of the Lord.
And I just thought of it this way. It says, In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
All the hymn that began our meeting this morning was Henry.
Where we get in, one stands up during the singing, which he leader loud to God our praises bring. Every step that we have taken is a triumph of His grace. How can't you see, dear friends, that if we had a musical instrument, we'd be putting up an instrument to take the place of the Lord Jesus himself?
And that would be a very sad and a very serious thing, wouldn't it? Let's remember that when we're gathered around the Lord remembering His death, and these precious hymns are given out, that the Lord is in the midst and really He is leading the singing. And the more we're occupied with Him as the one who leads the singing, the more we'll sing with the Spirit.
And we will also sing with the understanding also.
As we turn to Acts, the 13 and the second verse.
We wanted to ask our brother, Albert Hale, if he thought that this was in line with his remarks.
As they ministered to the Lord and *******.
Would you think that was in line with what you've been Speaking of, brother?
I have felt it was Brother London. We were just talking of this very verse yesterday. I don't suppose that they may have thought that their ministry would ever be referred to as as they ministered to the Lord. Seems to me that their thought would be the privilege of ministering to their dear brethren. But it's recorded here as being ministry to the Lord and was very dear to Him. Do you think that's the song?
Even even when a Sinner turns to God.
It rejoices the heart of God. We have the picture of that in Luke 15.
Where the prodigal has come home.
And the Father says, let us eat and be merry. Let us eat well. I don't know how happy the prodigal was, but I believe he got happy when he saw the Father was happy. And surely this is what causes us to rejoice When we find out that God the Father is happy and the Lord Jesus Christ is happy. And in any way that we minister unto him, it rejoices his heart. I believe this is really what gives us energy.
And Speaking of his leading the singing, I feel, of course I've been in system and I feel that there is a feeling of a need of musical instruments because I believe there's a consciousness of the lack of energy.
To carry the tune, or to carry the music, or to sing as they ought to, and they feel the need of some instrument to add some energy to it.
But when we realize the Lord Jesus Christ is in our midst and He is leading the singing, and he works by His Spirit in our hearts to lead out our hearts, that's where the energy comes from, Comes from the Lord Himself, by His spirit. Ephesians, Ephesians, Chapter 5, please.
Ephesians chapter 5.
And verse.
19.
Our brother Barry was speaking about singing.
With a spirit and singing with the understanding. And here we have the heart.
Speaking already from the other translation, which is clearer, Speaking to yourselves in some and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and chanting with your heart.
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To the Lord.
The instrument that is being used is our heart, and the Holy Spirit touches its chords and makes melody for the Lord, so there's no room for any instrument of man's making. We carry the instrument right here in our bosom, and if we're in communion with the Lord, the Spirit can touch the courts of the heart.
Make melody for God the Father is there. Is that all right, brother?
In First Chronicles, 29 was just looking at the verse.
First Chronicles 29 and verse 20.
And David said to all the congregation now with one of you sit at the organ.
No, he didn't say that, David said to all the congregation Now bless the Lord your God.
And all the congregation bless the Lord God of their fathers, and bow their heads bowed down their heads, and worship the Lord and the king. And in Second Chronicles 29.
Verse 30.
Second Chronicles, 2930. Moreover, Hezekiah the king and the Princess commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the morn with the words of David and of Asanthasia, and they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worship on the 13th of Hebrews.
13th chapter verse 15 By him therefore.
Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually. That is not the sound of the organ, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.
And in Isaiah the Lord said, I create the fruit of the lift. I was thinking too.
About the Zephaniah.
The Prophet Zephaniah Speaking of the blessing of Israel in another day.
Just noticing that in the third chapter of Zephaniah and the 17th verse, it says the Lord thy God in the midst is mighty. He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy. He couldn't rejoice over them in their doing anything themselves.
But in another day he will rejoice over them because of what He has done for them, bringing them into blessings. And then it says, He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing. And I understand that in in Hebrews we get to both sides of this. His brethren, I suppose, could be the remnants in another day, but also it applies today too.
Those of his brothers, but I I enjoyed that in in Zephaniah he says he will rejoice over thee with joy, not because of anything they've done, but all because of his work for them. And he will sing in their midst. Joy over thee was seen. Your heart has been mentioned as the part of the body which is used especially, but scripture says, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
And it's with the mouth that we sing. Let's notice one more scripture in Romans chapter 15, which to me has made this point very clear.
The sixth verse of Romans 15.
That she may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In that verse there's no mention of the hands of the OR of the feet which play these instruments.
We should be clear as to this that in many places in the Old Testament, and if all had been read in that 29th chapter, Second Chronicles, you find that they worship the Lord with.
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High sounding symbols with musical instruments and the last Psalm is full of that.
Side of things about their worship in connection with musical instruments. But we need to remember that belonged to entirely to another dispensation. Never confused the Old Testament dispensation with the dispensation in which we're living.
But you'll discover this if you search the Epistles through and through. You will not find a single place where there's any mention of a musical instrument. But what was read there in Ephesians 5, which our brother Smith read, really gives us the character of our praise in connection with.
Anything that has to do with music?
Without the least suggestion that there's any musical instrument connected with it. So we'll just comment on that or read it just once more in the third, the 5th chapter of Ephesians, where it says in the 19th verse, speaking to yourselves and psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
How entirely different that is from the last song, where all kinds of musical instruments are mentioned. So we're to be satisfied with what the Spirit of God has taught us for this present dispensation, where we worship as we're told, in spirit and in truth, not with high sounding.
Symbols are any invention of man, whatever God was behind the veil then.
Now we worship within the veil and His immediate presence.
I didn't read those verses, brother.
In second Chronicles, but we also read the verse in Colossians chapter 3.
Colossians 3 and verse 16.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. I was just thinking in connection with this, just one other thought for us to have before us. That is, that it is that we're linked to the Lord Jesus Christ.
By the grace of God. And that that grace ought to be active in our hearts as we are singing, or whatever else it may be. But our subject just at the moment is singing, and so it is not a question even of how well I can sing naturally, that is the point. But it's singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. And so the hymn writer has well put it that no heart but of the Spirit thought.
Makes melody to thee, and so even brethren, if the singing to the natural ear may be slightly off key that an organ might straighten out a little bit. It's better that it comes from our hearts and is slightly off peak, but that it is from the heart with grace.
So that's what the Lord would bring before us here.
And John John chapter 4 in the verse that was quoted there. That's important to notice how it reads. But the hour cometh that John four and verse 23. But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
For the Father seeketh such to worship him, the Lord was clearly showing that there was something different. There was a change taking place. He didn't say it was always so, but he said the hour cometh, and now is that is Christ being rejected. Now anything that was produced by instruments, or that was simply the enjoyment of sound, ceased to be in any way acceptable to God. Only that which is produced in the heart by the Spirit is acceptable worship today.
And so is our brother said. It's not how well we can sing, but it's that which is produced in the heart by the Spirit that is worship in Christianity. Now this isn't that. God altogether condemns music, and I suppose many listen to it and have it in their home. God hasn't condemned the music. There's nothing in scripture to speak against it. But let us not confuse it with worship. That's the important thing for us to see. If you want to have an instrument for the enjoyment of sound, we'll then call it the enjoyment of sound.
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Don't call it worship. The worship is what comes from the heart. It's a it's for yourself. It's for the enjoyment of sound. Perhaps in your home.
But what God values is what comes from the heart. And there is always the danger when we get occupied with the enjoyment of sound, and that we get carried away and think it is worship. And I believe that's why it says all things are lawful under unto me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Let us be careful that we don't get so taken up with this that we confuse it in our minds and feel that we're not really praising the Lord as we should, or enjoying the singing as we should unless it's accompanied.
Because this is going to just more true occupation with Christ if it becomes something that comes between us and gets possession of our souls instead of the Lord Himself.
Has a tremendous power over man, and it may, if overdone, rob the soul of the enjoyment of heavenly things. Scripture teaches temperance in all things we do well.
To go easy on that line of things, and sometimes it's nice to have some way of learning the tunes to hymns, but these things can be overdone. And I'm sure that we would benefit in our souls as to heavenly things. And that's what Hebrews gives us, heavenly things if we would be very moderate as to music.
One is impressed in going through Hebrews, how wonderfully and beautifully the Spirit of God brings in Old Testament Scriptures and never will.
Confusion as to our heavenly position, our heavenly hopes.
How lovely it is, though, that at all times things that definitely refer to Israel, but he introduces them in such a lovely way that it sets before us some lovely thought about Christ and our association with him.
I was just thinking in this chapter, the 13th verse, and again I will put my trust in him. And again behold, I and the children which God hath given me.
Slowly, the Old Testament prophets were giving precious thoughts for us that we can enjoy ourselves at this time, putting our trust in this one who that glorified one in the midst of His brethren when they meet together.
And now we can look to him as to all their needs, as to all their affairs.
Is there a connection between the end of the 12Th verse then?
We find that in the midst of the spiritualizing praise unto thee, in the middle of the 22nd Psalm, it's not pretty. My brother never often enjoyed this thought that it is at the moment when the forsaking of the Cross is over, the very next verse in Psalm 22.
It it says.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren, and in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
But when we look back in this Psalm.
The first verses.
In verse two it says Oh my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not.
Brethren, what a contrast, when the Lord Jesus has to cry out in his soul this cry in the hours of darkness, and then he has to say, But thou hearest not.
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And the moment that.
The Forsaking is over the moment at work of the dark hours. There on a cross is done. He turns around and he says, I will sing praise in the midst of the congregation. There God heard him. Who was he singing praises to in the midst of his brethren? I believe the Lord Jesus is praising much louder than we who are the subjects of that great redemption.
Now, as our brother was referring to the 13th verse, I will put my trust in him. Now, as this is you and I Tuesday, who are we putting our trust in? The one who, on Calvary's cross, finished that work and immediately turns about and praises God in the midst of the assembly. Are we putting our trust in that one? Is our trust on that finished work?
That's where it says behold. I don't know where that I will put my trust in him. Would that suggest the 16th sound?
First, first, deserve me. Oh God, for indeed do I put my truck.
Is that your thought, brother dear? Well, it's sure, it's certainly fits in perfectly with this subject.
And what was true of him is true of us.
Lord fully put his trust in God the Father even to the going to the cross.
He surrendered his own will, but he went there in full confidence that the Father would would undertake for him well, when that same confidence we can go to God, our Father too.
Just an expression, isn't it? But not only the Lord Jesus, but it's an expression of the new nature that's in the believer. That's interesting to notice in that Psalm 16, the third verse is what we have in our epistle. Here he identifies himself with the the Saints.
He says To the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight, we have that line of things in our chapter.
Associate.
Nice to bring that in, yeah? See, he identifies himself with.
I suppose this has reference, does it not to the time when he was baptized, he he identified himself then?
And associates himself with those who were owning the testimony of God on the earth in the midst of all the confusion.
So the Lord takes His place with them. But here in our chapter looking on it does it not? Does it not look on to the time when He ushers us into the glory with himself, the old eye, and the children which God hath given me? What a day that will be.
Not speak of it as the Lord Jesus, as the man of patience in the 17th chapter of John, he said. I pray not for the world.
But for them which thou has given me, for they are Thine. And so he declared his Father's name to his brethren in resurrection. But now he is waiting the Father's time until the whole redeemed family are gathered around him. And as the man of patience he waits. And John spoke of himself as your companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom, and patience of Jesus Christ so often with us it is hard for us to wait patiently God's time.
But think of the precious Savior. The devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and offered them to him if he would fall down and worship him.
The Lord refused all this. As the Messiah, He was cut off and had nothing. But nevertheless, the day is coming when the Father will say, ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. And so he's waiting. That time he's in that sense. I believe this thought could be associated with him, the man of patience waiting. But soon he is going to introduce us into the Father's house with these words.
Behold, I and the children which God hath given me, that will be a glorious time when he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. And I believe this ought to encourage us now to wait patiently so often. As I said, we can't wait God's time. We try to do things ourselves, but if we would just learn this to be associated with the one who's waiting patiently, we wait patiently too.
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All the glad and glorious results of that work are going to be displayed, and His joy will exceed ours in that day when He has us with himself. Yesterday He was the man of sorrow.
Today is the man of patience. Tomorrow he'll be the man of joy. Remember a remark, Brother Hayhoe, of your late Father, that when the Lord Jesus.
Takes us into heaven with himself.
This will be his language. Behold, I am the children which God has given me, and I've really thought was that in the Lord Jesus referring to us as children, That is the company of priests, Aaron and his sons, a worshipping company.
The only place, I suppose, where the Lords redeemed are referred to as his children in the verse up above. I will declare thy name unto my brethren. But in this verse, behold, I am the children which God hath given me.
The Great High Priest and his sons.
Going into the presence of God triumphantly in the glory I and the children whom God has given me, I was noticing Brother Hale, that.
This verse is quoted from the 8th chapter of Isaiah and the 18th verse. Behold, eye on the children whom the Lord has given me.
And the verse before the 17th verse agrees perfectly with what you said. And I will wait upon the Lord, and then the last verse I will look for him, and then behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me. But you said it was the 8th chapter of Isaiah and the 17th and 18th verses. It's a quotation from that.
And it would almost seem that the the first part I will put my trust in him is the same as as you get, I will look for him, and then behold on the children whom God has given me. And that's all lovely to perfect agreement what you said. The Lord has the man of patience waiting for that day when he will.
Present the family and say behold I on the children.
God has given me.
It's one of those passages that extends itself into the new Blessing, isn't it?
That the apostle uses from the Old Testament. It's remarkable to see that a number of times that scriptures from the Old Testament that seem to apply only to Israel. They're taken by the Spirit of God and put into the New Testament and the the thought of it, the principle of it, is applied to us. Well, God is not bound in his dealings with his people, whether they're the earthly people or the heavenly people.
Yes, I agree with that, Brother Anderson. And if you took the passage in the eighth of Isaiah, you'd find that primarily it refers to Israel. And the coming day when they have gone through the tribulation. For speaks of the time when Jehovah will hide his face from that people, and then he comes in blessing with him. Behold on the children. And God has given me that. I like your thought very much that the Spirit of God uses it and applies it now.
To the glorious day when we will enter not the earthly Kingdom, but the glory, glory where we will be with Christ.
Joseph was a is a beautiful type of Christ, isn't he? I was thinking of of a portion in the 41St chapter of Genesis. In connection with this, behold, I am the children whom God has given me, which I've enjoyed myself just in a tight in Genesis 41.
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And verse 49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea very much until he left numbering, for it was without number.
And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asanath the daughter of Potiphar the priest of on Bear, unto him. And Joseph called the name of the first born Manasseh. For God said he hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house. The name of the 2nd called he Ephraim, for God had caused me to be fruitful.
The land of my affliction. Well, I've enjoyed this very much. Manasseh means forgetting or forgetful, and Ephraim means fruitful. But if you go to the 48th chapter and.
He comes now into the presence of his father.
He says.
And the.
Well, the fifth verse, Genesis 48 and five. And now thy two sons, E freeman Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee, into it became I unto thee into Egypt, our mind as Ruben and Simeon, they shall be mine, and they issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine they shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. As for me, when I came from Peyton, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way.
When yet there was but a little way to come to Ephrata, Ephrata and I buried her there in the way of Ephraim, Ephraim, and the name the same as Bethlehem. And Israel beheld Josephs sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons.
Uh, they are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, bring them I pray thee unto me, and I will play. I've enjoyed this. Who are these? He says. They're my sons. They were born to Joseph in his he was in his rejection. And during the time of that famine, or before that famine came, I've enjoyed that in just as a pipe there of the Lord Jesus bringing his own.
And owning them and how Joseph could say their mind. God has given them to me And Jacob says bring them and I'll bless them. What a blessing they're in store for those who are his by redemptions work.
Well then we go on to the 14th verse. For as much then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the scene that through death he might destroy Brother Smith. Read that unknown.
Him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death for all their lifetime subject to ******* we see in different purposes connected with.
The life and death.
And exaltation of Christ. Now here is another definite purpose connected with.
The Lord becoming a man.
In order to identify himself with the family, he took part of place and blood.
And for this reason that through death he might know him that had the power of death, that is the devil.
That is, to set free the family from the awful.
Throw them and slavery of the devil. And that is a very special and marvelous work that has been accomplished for us, that we've been set free now from.
Always ******* that Satan once held his victims in.
It's only those in the family that come into the good of this.
And I remember when.
Talking to the those in the Congo that had accepted Christ as savior.
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They were still afraid of their idols.
They were still afraid of evil spirits. They were still afraid of Satan.
And it was a wonderful thing to be able to point them to a verse like this.
That the Lord Jesus Christ through death.
Destroyed or unknown, the power of him that had the power of death just took his power away from him. As far as the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned, and if you'll just put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you take care of you. Satan can have no power against you if you're trusting in him. And I believe we have perhaps a word in the end of First John.
That gives us a little more on this.
First John Chapter 5.
Verse 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one touches him not. How wonderful to be part of a company, part of a family, begotten of God, upon whom Satan can have no power, that Satan cannot touch them.
Of course it's going on in the good of being in the family, in the good of being begotten of God, as having that new life that's trusting in God. Then we're kept. Sometimes we get careless and we're not trusting the Lord. Well, then the Devil can touch us. But as far as our salvation is concerned, the Devil can never ****** his soul out of the hands of the Good Shepherd or the Father.
Where safe for all eternity.
That he can.
Molest our souls. He can make us very unhappy. He could even rob us of the certainty of this wonderful truth that we have been delivered for a time and eternity from the power of the enemy. And so we need to be on the good and the enjoyment of what the Spirit of God is teaching us here.
Satan was the one who brought in sin, and by sin the death entered the world. And so he has looked upon as the one who had power over man. Now through his lusts and the wages of sin is death lost. When it is finished, bring bringeth forth sin and sin. When it is finished, bringeth forth death. And so Satan had that power. But now the Lord Jesus has gone into Satan's stronghold. He went into death itself.
And he overcame just as a picture of it. In the Old Testament, when David cut off the head of Goliath with Goliath own sword, he used his very sword to cut off his head and return with the head of the giant in his hand. Well, Satans power in that way has been defeated.
And as our brother Barry remarked, he will never be able to take one who has been.
Delivered through the work of Christ and bring him into that which death for the unbeliever pictures to us. And so in First Corinthians 3 it says all things are yours, whether life or death. Death now, while it still exists, belongs to the believer. It has become his servant. And if we should be taken away, any of us, in death, what is it? Why, it's a victory, because the sting of death is sin.
And the Lord Jesus has defeated Satan and risen triumphant, so death is still here.
But it's the believers servant, and for us it's to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
But now, as it's been remarked, while Satan doesn't have that power to ever bring us into the just penalty of sin because the Lord has defeated him and overcome his power, nevertheless we find in the New Testament instances where some were delivered to Satan.
And Satan can have power because we still have the flesh in US, never to our eternal judgment, but as we have in First Corinthians 5, whom I have delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, because Satan still has power over the flesh in US, and if we're not watchful, if we allow the flesh.
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The enemy knows how to work upon that flesh, and we can be taken captive by him at his will.
I think there's a very important verse in this connection in Psalms. I think it's the 17th, if I remember correctly, by the word of thy lips. Have I kept me from the paths of the Destroyer?
There's a very good illustration of this in what the book called Pilgrims Progress, where Christian is going along on his way to the Celestial City and he comes to a spot where there are two lions.
And these lions roar of him, and he is greatly afraid that he finds in his chart that there is a path that goes right by where these lions are. But as long as he stays upon the path, the lions are chained and they can't touch him. So he walks by the lions, and they're roaring, but they couldn't touch him while he was on the path. Now this is lovely, brethren. God has a path through this world where Satan cannot touch us.
The Lord Jesus walked in that path. That verse in the 17th Psalm refers to the Lord Jesus as the perfect dependent man. And because he walked in that path of dependence, Satan was powerless. He could do nothing with him. So what does he try to do with us?
Get us out of the path of dependence, then He can touch us. But as to our standing, we possess a new life, and we have a life over which Satan has no power. And that is the life of Christ that we possess. That is the place that we have been brought into through His work, and so he can never work our eternal ruin. But let us be careful that we walk in the path of obedience. Or alas, there may be that which God will have to pass us through.
To bring bring us to realize what the flesh is and how it should be in the place of self judgment and death, that we might be preserved for His glory while here.
Reminds us of that first chapter of Job, doesn't it? Brother Gordon? Yes, was thinking of that, that Satan did not come to God with any kind of accusations against Joe, but it was God who brought the attention of Satan to Job. And then when Satan wanted to do anything against Job, he was only allowed to do.
Which God gave him the privilege of the the liberty to do, and no further gone on two different occasions, puts a limit to Satans activities, even though Satan would have liked to have gone further, but he couldn't. And so the scriptures bring before us that thought, Be thou in the fear not of Satan all the day long, be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Is that right?
Now, would you say then that Satan got the power of death right here?
LED Adam and Eve to disobey God, and he used that power.
In a very solemn and terrible way, all through man's history up to the cross of Christ that our brother was referring to. And it was there, as he said when he went into Satan's dark domain, which is death, he took the key of death, as it were, away from Satan.
So that when John sees the Lord in his government character with his eyes as a fire and sword proceeding out of his mouth, his feet like fine brass, they burned in a furnace voices the sound of many waters. He fell at his feet as dead. He was overcome by the solemnity and solemn appearance all at once, and the Lord puts his hand on him. He says, fear not.
I am he that liveth and was dead. Behold, I am alive forevermore and have the keys of death and Hell or Hades. So instead of Satan having that power, now the Blessed Lord holds that key in his own hand. He's wrestled it from the enemy, and the result is in the next verse of this chapter, the 15th verse.
And deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to *******.
01:00:03
If you desire sometimes to see the contrast with the fear of death of an Old Testament St. and the New Testament Saints, just read Hezekiah's prayer when he was told that he must die and not live.
Oh, what terrible distress of soul.
Good air man went through and then read the apostle Pauls experience when he was facing the trial before Nero, and it might be martyrdom. Why he says to depart and be with Christ is far better. So he says again, you know, he says.
To be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
What a wonderful thing it is, beloved Saints, as we sit here and meditate on these things, if we were suddenly laid on a sick bed from which we never rise, and we realized that life was having a way, we have No Fear whatever. We see just in the happy enjoyment of soul, that we be soon in the presence of the Blessed Lord Himself.
Well, you know, there are systems that many are under, and perhaps some of God's children.
That keep their members in the absolute darkness. I think the one today who is under a system like that.
And he lives in perfect terror and horror of death. Even if he should be prayed out of purgatory to think of the awful time he'd have to spend in purgatory. Well, isn't it wonderful that we have been brought into clear, definite teaching that has set us free from this awful power that Satan once held your distress and to?
Rob the sinks of true peace and happiness in their souls. There's No Fear in debt, in love. Perfect love casts about fear, John says. I was thinking of an account that our brother Annis was going to be with the Lord some years now that many of you knew. He was in Ecuador, I believe, and he had. He had been.
Giving out the gospel and a certain priest was trying to get rid of him, but he had had an opportunity to give the priest a message. And while he was on his way away from the village, a messenger came to get him and bring him back, he said. The priest wants to see you. He's dying.
He said when he got there he witnessed something that he never wants to see again.
The awful terror that was in that man's face as he lay there expecting to die.
The terror of death. But he was able to give him the gospel again. He doesn't know whether the man was saved or not, but he said that just that picture of that man in the fear of death was one of the worst experiences he'd ever had. But now there's No Fear in love. Perfect love casteth out fear. And that's where the believer is now, in contrast to.
Where he was before under the old order, and I believe in Hebrews, we don't have so much of the middle ground.
We have weakness, that's true, because we have a great high priest, but we don't have failure brought out in that sense. We have either the person a believer.
Or he's on the road to apostasy, brought out very distinctly in Hebrews. Now when you get to other parts of Scripture, we may have.
The warnings for a believer who is careless. But in Hebrews we have more that solemn warning of those who reject the testimony of grace and and so we have there the high priest that is maintaining us now who are believers on that path that's been before us so much. Here he's, he's maintaining his people in connection with heaven as those who are worshippers.
01:05:02
Could I just mention in connection with this, because there's quite a bit of teaching that I believe is not according to the word about this, that when the Lord Jesus died that he went down into Hades and delivered the Old Testament Saints and brought them up. Well, that isn't the thought at all in the verse.
And when the Lord Jesus died, he went down into Satan's stronghold into death. But the deliverance that he wrought was not the deliverance of those of the Old Testament Saints to those who died in faith didn't have the assurance of where they were going in the Old Testament.
Because the interval between death and resurrection was not revealed in the Old Testament, and so alone, Hezekiah was afraid and low Job spoke of death as the king of terrors. Nevertheless, when the Lord did take them, and they were not in any place of torment or any place where they could not enjoy what the Lord was about to accomplish on the cross of Calvary, and they didn't have that knowledge in life.
But.
Their their blessing depended upon the work of Christ. But they weren't, so to speak, in a place of waiting until the victory was won that they were already brought into the fruit of it beforehand. But the deliverance that is spoken of here is our present deliverance, brethren. And that is, instead of living in fear and terror, we live in the enjoyment of the victory that Christ has won.
And they didn't have the knowledge of that. And so they lived in fear. But there it wasn't a temporary place for the Old Testament Saints until redemption was accomplished. There is no sixth thought as that in the Scripture I remember. Pardon me.
Go ahead.
Well, I'm just going to add to this an illustration that Brother Hale's father used to give us the difference between the death of an Old Testament St. and one who belongs to this present dispensation. He said. That the the Old Testament said in view of death was like a boy that's on the fence.
And it's night you can't see. His father comes and he says, son, jump and I'll catch you. Well, he knows his father's voice. He trusts his father. He jumps off of the fence, lands in his father's arms.
Love the contrast. Is this that the the New Testament street is like? You'll see the same boy on the fence, but it's it's daytime.
Lighter as could be. And so again the boy departed says the boy jumped. Well, he sees his father, There's no uncertainty about it. There's no darkness, and you get any lands in his father's arms. So there was all they trusted in God, and they believed that he would he would be merciful to them and they had confidence in him. But as.
Brother said they didn't have the full light, in fact, in second Timothy.
First chapter you get stated in this way that life and incorruptibility.
Have been brought to light, to light through the gospel, and only when the gospel was preached, Christ having accomplished the work, and going back to heaven, and sent the Spirit, could we have the full knowledge and enjoyment of the things of which we speak. Our brother Smith, Excuse me for.
I was just going to ask that we see.
And Moses and Elias on the mount of the Lord Jesus.
Some 13 and seven centuries respectively, after they died, we see them on the mountain. And what are we told in Luke's Gospel? That they spoke of his disease or his departure, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem? Well, they had died, but.
Once they were dead, the spirit separated from the body. They were not in terror.
The Old Testament expression is they were gathered to their fathers.
01:10:04
Even though they weren't very geographically with them, they were gathered to their fathers. But is Moses and Elias intelligent about what was going to take place at Jerusalem so?
It was well, after all, with the Old Testament Saints, even though they leaped in the dark, you know, their father's arm.
In Romans, thinking again of this, who through who deliver them? Who through fear of death where all their lifetime subject to *******. I'm thinking in the 8th chapter of Romans Speaking of the the apostle bringing before them there that nothing can separate them from the love of God. Nothing. There isn't anything. But in going down through this we say the first thing that he mentions is death. That's the first thing.
I thinking Brother Gordon mentioned the King of terrors and it is. There isn't anything that man fears more than death. Natural man, but that's the first thing that's mentioned. The apostle mentions that will not separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I've enjoyed that in the eighth of Romans and.
The 38th verse, for I am persuaded that neither death. That's the very first thing he mentioned, which is the worst thing as far as natural man is concerned.
Death is yours, yours, right as a service, not as a master.
When you get to the 16th verse is a better reading, you'll notice.
Him the nature.
Is better translated for verily, he took not hold of angels by the hand, but he took hold of the seed of Abraham.
That is, the Lord didn't become an Angel. Although there were fallen angels, there was no Savior provided for them.
But he took hold of the seed of Abraham. And it's already been mentioned that the seed of Abraham is, you know, the children of faith. For if you turn to the third chapter of Galatians.
We're told definitely who the seed of Abraham refers to.
And the ninth verse, so then, so then they would be of faith.
Are blessed with faithful Abraham. I was really thinking on the 7th verse. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham. So that takes in not only those who are by nature the descendants of Abraham, but everyone who has faith. And we see the Blessed Lord coming down here.
Taking part inflation, blood to take hold of a poor ruined grace by the hand, Past angels by we've already seen He doesn't care take them by the hand, but He took you and me by the hand to lead us into all the wonderful blessings.
That His Grace has purpose for us earlier in the meetings.
We have mentioned a little about the.
The priesthood.
And possibly there were some things that.
Were not clear to all of us, and so perhaps the few moments left if we could.
Have a little on the 17th verse in connection with the priesthood of Christ.
May I just first read a passage in First John?
In the second chapter.
So that we can see Mitchondras.
The various officers that he takes.
In the second chapter of the first Epistle.
My little children, these things right on to you. I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.
01:15:07
I don't recall how that verse reads.
Perhaps you it should read a little differently, and not for the sins of the whole world, but perhaps someone has well, just leave, brother.
Land Dean the the words and italics out of that verse and read it like this. He is a propitiation for our sins as believers and not for ours only, but also for not the sins. That's that's the wrong doctrine.
By the translators.
But for the whole world simply means that the gospel is unto all men. That's the scope of it. But it's a pun. All them that believe he is. It's been put like this Propitiation is that aspect of the death of Christ which has vindicated the holy and righteous character of God, and in virtue of which he can be merciful to the whole world.
Yes, what I wanted to bring out in this passage was that here we have the advocacy of Christ rather than what is brought before us in Hebrews.
Of the priesthood in connection with.
The 17 birds. Now there's a difference here. I believe that in John.
If there should be such a thing as a believer sinning.
God has made provision and the Lord Jesus it says here.
Jesus Christ the righteous. We haven't advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, because I believe discipline is connected and is it not with the Father. But now in Hebrews it isn't the subject of the advocacy of Christ, but it's the it's the believer going on through a wilderness.
Being preserved by that priest. The priest is the one who maintains, just like Aaron would maintain, the people in connection with God in the wilderness, although in Hebrews we have the Lord Jesus seen.
As the answer to both Moses and Aaron, do we not? And that's why in the 4th chapter of Hebrews and I think we should turn to it.
You have two things in that 4th chapter.
You have in the 12Th verse the word of God is quick and powerful or living, an operative and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. The joints of marijuana is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight.
But all things are naked and opened under the eyes of him with whom we have, with whom we have to do.
Seeing them, that we have a great High Priest that is passed into or through the heavens.
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession, for we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may obtain forgiveness of sins, no mercy, mercy, and fine grace.
To help in time of need. It's a question here of the weakness in the path as we pass through the desert on our way to the rest. And we have two things that are necessary to maintain US1 is the word of God and the other is the great High Priest who is on high interceding for his people, not interceding so that.
We might.
Have forgiveness of sins and be brought into relationship with God. That question has been settled supposedly here. It's a question now of the believer who's on his way to that rest being maintained by that high priest.
There's a little better translation of that 16th verse. Let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace for seasonable aid, which really gives the true meaning of the passage. It has been illustrated in this way, for someone sees an old lady starting across the slippery St.
01:20:23
And he sees her get to the middle of the street and she slips and falls and he goes out as fast as possible and helps her to her feet and helps her across. Well, that could be a grace to help in time of needs. She's fallen, I said. Yeah, helpless. But suppose on the other hand, this man sees the old lady standing and fearful about the slippery St. and so he takes her arm and helps her cross the street so she doesn't fall at all.
That would be great for seasonable aid, and that is especially the character of the priesthood as we get it here in Hebrews. That is this, that which will keep us from falling so that we can go on our way with, as Jude would tell us, not even stumbling on the way.
And how, beloved, we need to make use.
Oh, that provision for us to go to our blessed Lord in the deep sense of our need and our weakness and.
There's like that Psalm. You're referring to the 16th Psalm. Preserve me, oh Lord. Or in thee do I put my trust? I think your father is the same, brother. Hail that. That should be our daily prayer. Preserve me, O Lord.
For indeed you are put my trust.
It seems that here.
It's connected to priesthood of Christ is connected with the reconciliation which should that word should read propitiation, which a brother Barry was bringing before the work of propitiation, God completely glorified. As to the sin question, the sin question completely settled as far as God is concerned.
And there's a place of mercy for man to come, because this word propitiation comes from the same word as the word mercy seat. And so all has been settled as far as God is concerned. And it seems from this then that the basis upon which the Lord Jesus Christ can perform his work as High Priest is this, that the work is finished. There's been a complete work done that has glorified God, settled the sin question.
And so, in order to keep us in a condition suited to that that has been done at Calvary's Cross, we have him as our high priest. And I suppose we have it too, there in that verse that was read in First John, it speaks of him not only as the Advocate, but as the righteous one. Well, now here it's in connection with that perfect work that's been done to keep us in a state suited to that, to that we we're settled on.
Propitiation, The finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me sing that him, O Lamb of God, still keep us close to thy peers inside. Leave us the 318th Kim.
She's only there in safety and peace. We can't abide with paws and snares around us, and lusts and fears within The grace of Sauron found us along to keep us clean.
318.
Oh my God, Tell me.
My.
Let's go and say.
It's gravel.
All of them pray, for all of us have all the proof of the world.