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By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God, but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God.
Must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them, that diligently seek him.
By faith, nor being warned of God of things not seen as yet move with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obey, and he went out not knowing whether he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise.
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is gone.
Through faith also, Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed.
And was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky and multitude, and as the sandwiches by the seashore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, it was intimated.
Yesterday that there was a bit of a sequence in these names that are brought before us.
And it's nice to develop that just a little bit farther and to see that in that.
The third verse we have the the creation.
And then in the fourth verse in Abel we see the suited and proper sacrifice.
And then in the fifth verse we have Enoch and that is the.
The work of the believer and then the next verse we come to Noah.
And here is the justice judgment of God on a corrupt world.
And then in the next verse, in the eighth verse, we come to Abraham.
And he brings before us the heavenly man, so we have these steps of creation.
And the redemption in the Cross of Christ, the walk for the Christian.
Through this corrupt world, the sure and certain judgment that is about to fall.
On this corrupt world, and then to know of the heavenly portion.
And our occupation with Christ as Abraham was, it tells us in John that he exalted to see my day, and he saw it.
So we have that those steps in connection with this fifth verse. It's nice to read second or first Thessalonians 4. Of course we know that this 4th chapter of first Thessalonians.
Is.
The rapture. It gives the unfolding of the rapture.
But it's so good to read the early part of the chapter, because it ties in with our fifth verse, and also with the account that we have in Genesis. Furthermore, then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more for you know what commandments.
00:05:10
Or instructions we gave you.
But the Lord Jesus, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification.
That she should abstain from fornication, that everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor and so forth. Well, that's very pointed instruction, exhortation for the pathway in view of the fact that we're soon to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And so this was the exercise that Enoch had, and that's an interesting wording there.
When it says and was not found because God translated him, that indicates that they were looking for him. Just as those sons of the prophets were looking for Elijah. In all their unbelief, they were looking for him. And no doubt the world will wonder what has happened to the believers when we're all caught away, and they may search out and look for the believers, and it may well be that the enemy will fabricate.
A lie that they'll have strong delusion, perhaps even in this connection. They may twist scripture and they may say that we were taken away in judgment or some other excuse, but the believer indeed will be missed. Nice to see in that chapter in Thessalonians, as you've been bringing out, we read in Genesis 5 that Enoch walked with God. Well, that's by faith. We have that privilege. By faith, that's our chapter.
Is to walk in a way pleasing. And of course it says.
And he pleased God in Hebrews 11. Well, that's what we have there. We ought to please God.
And in that we have the fruit, we should all have fruit for the Lord.
And of course, that comes by the walk. That's faith. And then of course, the raptures in the chapter.
And it says.
He was not. In Genesis. God took him. Well, of course, that's our hope. We expect to be taken, snatched out of this scene and it'll just simply be said. We were not. We will not die. We'll go. And of course, the little while that's left.
Why? It's separation. And that comes in the third verse of that chapter. This is the will of God, even your sanctification.
He is holy, and we should be so in the seventh verse that says God has not called us to uncleanness, but under holiness. So the four things really come in that chapter. The walk is by faith, and the fruit is the result of it, because you please God. That's what fruit is. It pleases God. And then the rapture is our hope, and it's coming, but in the meantime, sanctification practically.
There's separation from this world.
So it's a very exercising chapter, the 4th of First Thessalonians.
Wondering if there was a thought in Genesis 4 and verse 26.
And desert to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos.
Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord, and then in Genesis 5.
Verse 22. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah.
I was just wondering if the exercise to walk with the Lord was after they were given that little one, that he might be brought up for the Lord. I think it's interesting here too that it follows immediately after Abel about Enoch, because it has often been said that the wilderness is not part of the purposes of God, but part of his ways, and so we find that immediately after we have Abel who presented that acceptable sacrifice.
Then we have the truth about Enoch being translated, and so isn't it very blessed that the very moment we are saved, we have this hope set before us now? God will sustain us in our pathway here, and the verses that follow show that we see the world is under judgment, like Noah and Abraham walking as a Pilgrim and a stranger. But the thought of the translation follows immediately after.
00:10:03
The thought, the truth of redemption. And brethren, we need to be looking for the Lord at any moment, and that is a regulating truth for our whole life. Indeed, as I believe, another has said that it's brought in in connection with every detail of our lives.
If you and I had been writing a book, why, we'd bring all the truth about the Lords coming together and the truth about the walk and another paragraph. But it's very lovely to see through the Scripture that the truth of the Lords coming is brought in, in connection with every part of our lives.
Because if we really have that hope before us, it's going to regulate everything. And so in our verse here it says he was translated that he should not see death. And this even before there's anything mentioned about his walk, because this is our blessed hope. And another thing too, that's very precious. If the Lord should come at this moment, every one of his own would be caught up, faithful and unfaithful would go up.
Christ that is coming. But if we have this hope in our hearts, as it tells us in first John 4.
Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
And in the measure in which we're expecting the Lord to come at any moment, then we do want to have his approval about our walk. And that's why it goes on after telling us about his translation, that he had this testimony that he pleased God. And that ought to be our desire, as it tells us in the 12Th chapter of Luke, that at his return we might open to him immediately, And that is.
If things are not just right, we don't open the door right away. We'd like to straighten a few things up.
By if we're really going as if we are expecting the person at any moment, the moment they wrap, the door swings open. And this ought to be our daily attitude, brethren. And I'm sure if we are truly expecting the Lord to come, this will be the important thing, and each one of us.
To please God, you may not at once learn his mind about everything.
It little by little precept, line upon line, precept upon precept. But the very first day of a child of God, like Saul of Tarsus, when he was brought to know the Lord, it says, What wilt thou have me to do? He wanted to please God. That is the character of the new life. May that desire be deepened, And I say again, it will be deepened if we're expecting the Lord at any moment.
What a wonderful time we're living in. I've often thought if we could have chosen when to be born, we couldn't have chosen a better time. It's exciting really, the fact that we can start every day with two words, perhaps today, and it really guides our walk and our heart for that day. It's as it really says in first John, first John, chapter 3, verse two and three.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God. It does not get a fear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Brethren, we're going to be snatched out of this world. We thrill when we read Enoch.
And he was not.
He doesn't die. He was taken by God, translated right from this life to that, and how precious it is. It's going to happen to us. It was mentioned yesterday that some are not even concerned or vexed with all these problems. We have a nuclear war and with Russia and so on. Well, I was in Dixon Village in Saint Vincent.
And you know, they're not bothered with the news and they're not bothered with Russia. I doubt if they know it exists.
Nor with nuclear war, but all how they're excited with what we're talking about, this event that's going to happen, the shout. And that's what occupies their hearts. They they're not troubled with the things that trouble us daily as we read these reports. They don't even know about nuclear war, but they surely know about the war's coming, and it excites them. And it's wonderful that excites all of us.
00:15:09
Well, you know, I love to give out these pocket calendars, and I usually start giving them out right after the Wheaton Conference, I should say the Edison Conference. And because people love to receive them, and then I give them out usually four months more. So almost all year I'm giving them out. But this year I've had an exercise about it and I try to find out if they're Christians when I hand it to them, and if I haven't got any indicate or if I have an indication they are, I tell them I don't expect to use this one. Do you?
Because the Lord's coming before 84.
And if they're lost, I tell them to. I'm not expecting to use it, but in case, here's one for you. I hope you don't use it. And that brings off our little question. And it gives a nice chance to testify. When you give out these calendars, you expect to use them. When you buy them, do you expect to use them? I don't. Not 84. But still, we should be ready. And the text on them are good and the verses are able to bless them.
But I think it's exciting. We're living in this time that Enoch experienced and brethren, we're going to experience it. How that ought to occupy not only our walk, but our exercise towards the loft all around us. I'd like to bring in a little word of.
Of warning in connection with this passage because I believe that.
Many more and more of the.
Christian groups in the world are drifting toward.
The belief that the Church is going to pass through the tribulation, and I believe that if the Lord doesn't come soon that this is going to be generally accepted and I think it's worthwhile to notice the sequence that we have here in this passage.
And also to compare it with the passages that have been mentioned, intimated in Genesis how that Enoch a picture of the Church.
Is raptured to heaven.
Before.
Noah, who is a picture, can be a picture of the little remnant that is going to be preserved through the tribulation that is going to follow. So we see very plainly from that those passages in Genesis and also the sequence that we have here, that the rapture of Enoch took place before the tribulation which followed in the days of Noah.
And I believe, beloved ones, that we need to be very careful.
When this suggestion that the Church might pass through the tribulation.
Is going to take place. I believe that it is. It turns us on to our own selves and it's it's introspection and it is occupying us with ourselves and and how we're going to endure and and so on. And it misses the point and it turns our thoughts away from the coming of the Lord Jesus personally for us.
Revelation chapter 5, I believe, should really clear that matter up for anyone, because we see that the 24 elders are there worshipping the Redeemer, the Lamb who is to take the book out of the hands of him that sits upon the throne, which is the book of judgment which have not yet begun. But the 24 elders are there representing the believers.
Of the Old and New Testament worshipping the lamb. So they necessarily have to be taken to glory, to be with Christ, to be in that position of worshippers before even any judgment has begun. I also like to take encouragement from the fact that Enoch walked with God for 300 years. Just imagine 300 years.
What a long period of time there is. None of us will be called upon to walk for God that long in this scene.
The Lord preserved him. The Lord can preserve you and me, that we also in a measure will walk for him and for his glory in this city.
00:20:12
You'll notice it says that.
And they still first that before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God.
And we would want to take note of that it was before his translation we.
We think of scriptures and we have in our hymns, and we often have in our thoughts of how that we will be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, that we shall be like him and we will be totally pleasing to him, and there will be nothing in connection with us that is not for the pleasure of God.
When he comes and we are caught up and we are changed.
To be like him, but here it says before his translation.
He pleased God, and I suppose this ought to be a real exercise with us as to be.
Pleasing to God, pleasing to the Lord while we're here in this world.
Which we're inclined sometimes to believe is more difficult.
Than it perhaps was for Enoch when he walked with God. But you know, the world in his day was filled with violence and corruption.
And I have no doubt it was not an easy thing. You might say, well, we have more problems today. But there's always been problems as far as the world is concerned. Because when sin came in and man that was alienated from God, he has filled the world with violence and corruption. It's what characterized it, even the world before the flood so bad that God swept it away. And yet.
It was in those circumstances that he walked with God, and we see that to God that took him.
And you might say that he went right into the presence of the One.
With whom he had been walking for those many years now his.
You might say his surroundings were different. No longer was he with the God. In walking, with God, in the midst of difficult circumstances, and with sin abounding, He found himself in the in the presence of God, in different circumstances and surroundings. But it was the same God. I've enjoyed the expression of Mr. Darby's, him when he says there no stranger.
God shall meet thee.
Stranger thou in courts above. When we're translated, we'll be an entirely new and different circumstances.
But it isn't a new and different God. It's the one that we know now and with whom we can walk.
And have communion. And it's our privilege to know his thoughts and his ways and to enjoy his presence, even while we're here in a world that is departed from God and under Satan's power. And where there are many things, so many things that are contrary to God, but we want to keep in mind to to have an exercise to be pleasing to Him.
Before our translation, and not just thinking of what we will be when the Lord comes.
But what he would have is to be now for his pleasure I would appreciate.
A brother or two giving some help.
On this question in John chapter 3.
Verse 13.
The Lord Jesus says no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of Man which is in heaven is the first part of the verse. The Lord says no man hath ascended up to heaven.
And then in First Corinthians 15 verse.
Verse 50.
Apostle Paul says now this I saved brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. And yet we read that Enoch was translated that he should not see death. How do we harmonize that? How are we to understand that in the light of these other verses? I I only I believe there's only one person in heaven with a glorified body, and that's the Lord Jesus himself tells us there in First Corinthians 15, Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ at his coming.
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But all the others that we read about in this chapter, and with the exception of these two, Enoch and Elijah, they passed through the article of death. And I don't believe that those two pass through. The article of death tells us distinctly about Elijah that he went toward heaven and that chariot of fire, so there is no thought to my mind of him receiving a glorified body. But he didn't go through the experience that we have to go through if the Lord doesn't come in our life time.
And that is the experience of going through death. They never faced that. God removed that. But I believe it's just brought before us in the Scripture as a type to show us that there were these who were caught up. And so this is what is going to take place for us. But at that moment when the Lord catches us up, then we have an added expression in First Corinthians 15, and we shall be changed.
There's no mention about this in connection with either Enoch or Elijah that they were chained. So for my own part, I'm satisfied that there is no one there with a glorified body now except the Lord Jesus and when he was speaking here to Nicodemus.
He was actually in heaven and on earth at the same time. It's really a verse that I believe that sets before us His deity.
Because of who he was, he's omnipresent, and so he brings before us in this first John three, I believe, those two very important points, the glory of his person. And in the next verse the work that glorified God, that is the. In the next verse it says. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
So the our whole salvation rests upon the person and the work of Christ.
Wouldn't you say too that the expression?
Ascending up to heaven would indicate something a little special. Because he's a divine person, he can ascend up to heaven.
We know that as a man, we're like in Luke's gospel, he was taken up into heaven.
You might see it with The same thing is true of Enoch and Elijah. They were taken up, but only a divine person could ascend. And he says to Mary I've not yet ascended. And in John's gospel where we have the truth of his person.
Being a divine person emphasized. I think it's the the thought of his ascending which set him apart.
As as being a divine person that he could.
Himself ascend to heaven. That was where he came from, and he's with but with man.
He is taken up into heaven. And so in regard to the Rapture, we'll be, we'll be taken away. We don't. It's not said of us that we're going to ascend into heaven, but we're going to be taken up. But he ascends on his in his, in his own person, as a divine person.
But I just add to that in the end of the 11Th chapter of Hebrews which we are reading.
It says but these and these all having obtained a good report through faith, receive not the promised God, having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Now we, I think we all know that that expression means that they haven't as yet received their glorified bodies. Or in the 12Th chapter and the 23rd verse it says to the General Assembly and Church of the first one, which are written in heaven.
God, the judge of all and to the spirits of just man made perfect. That shows that the expression made perfect refers to receiving the glorified body. Now we have a perfect salvation and a perfect standing before God, but we haven't yet been made perfect. The making perfect as we have it brought before us here has to do with receiving a glorified body. That's our full salvation.
And there's no on there, and have them there waiting the same as we are to be made perfect. And when the time comes that the Church is there and glory, the Church of the first born written in heaven, then there will be the spirits of just man made perfect. They will have their glorified bodies too, at the same moment as we receive ours when the Lord comes, then all who have gone before will receive their glorified bodies with us.
00:30:27
You have the same.
Mystery surrounding those that arose that had slept and came out of their graves and appeared to many in the city. After the Lord's resurrection it's veiled in mystery. We don't know what their state, present state is, but we just accept it as from the word of God. It was a testimony. What a testimony it must have been to those in Jerusalem to have those Saints that they knew to have passed on.
Appear to many what a powerful testimony that must have been, and we're just told nothing as to their present state, but we leave it with God.
Wouldn't you think, your brother Hendricks, that it would be comparable to to what the Lord said to the thief today Shalt thou be with me in paradise? Well, paradise isn't a place, but it is a a condition of waiting with joyful anticipation. And it would seem that these two were in that similar condition. In John 14 it says I go to prepare.
A place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you on myself. When the Lord Jesus entered into heaven, the very entrance, as a man prepared heaven for the first time for a man, and prior to his entering into heaven, there was no man there. So we can believe that these two didn't have their glorified bodies before the Lord.
Because they took they lived long before, so I would take it that they are similarly in that paradise.
In joyful anticipation waiting, And the Lord is in heaven alone as a man at the present.
Even as to the resurrection of those who rose from the grave, the Saints it specifically said.
After his resurrection they appeared so that the Lord Jesus is the 1St and it's beautiful to see that. I also think it's so encouraging to see how as Brother John already indicated the birth of his son.
Enoch's son seemed to have had an effect upon his life in Noah.
It seems to be the other way around.
That Noah's godliness was a blessing to his whole house. And how wonderful that is, We know that.
None of the children of the Saints will be saved because their parents are safe. They have to personally come to the Lord Jesus. But in Noah's case it is not a question of heaven or hell. That is a question of being preserved for God on earth and how wonderful it is to see that the children.
Are in a privileged and blessed position because of the faith of their Father.
And I believe that's Even so today in verse 6.
We have the we as we had in verse five about pleasing God.
We see that without faith it is impossible to please him.
For he that cometh to God must believe that he is.
And I suppose this might seem very elementary, but the it's putting our faith and confidence in one who is supreme.
Cometh to God must believe that He is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him out, as I believe is a better reading. That's what I wanted to emphasize. They don't believe here's the fault of a Sinner seeking the Lord. They believe it is the Lord's people seeking out God in all of their circumstances and their pathway.
00:35:03
And that's really what I suppose characterized Enoch.
And walking with God, he sought out God in his daily pathways. He walked through this scene. And so the exercise would be that we would have a we would be diligently seeking him out. That's not being careless and indifferent, but it's seeking out God.
In all of our circumstances, we know that when when the Lord Jesus was here, he always had God before him and everything that he did.
And in all of his thoughts and his motives, his purpose, and when he was was to be apprehended in the garden by his enemies, and Peter sought to defend him, he says. The cup that the Father has given me, he took all of those. He took that circumstance and everything from the hands of the Father.
So God would have us to be exercised in seeking Him out in all of our circumstances and everything that we are involved in. We might see the hand of God in it, and walk with God in it, and seek to be pleasing to Him in it. It says there that he had this testimony.
I'm sure that Enoch wasn't occupied with his testimony. I remember hearing of a young brother that had been saved and he was in one of the assemblies and he asked the question, how do we take care of our testimony? How do we look after our testimony and shouldn't we be occupied with it? And an older brother apparently answered and said, if you walk with the Lord.
He will take care of your testimony and so it seems that that is born out here in this verse.
He had this testimony that he pleased God, that was his object pleasing the Lord, and the testimony was taken care of.
The whole thought is responsibility, isn't it? Without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In other words, it is not just doing outward things.
There might be the offering of a sacrifice. The children of Israel offered many sacrifices, but God was not pleased. And he said, I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices? And that is it was not things. It was doing what we do to please God. And that's what counts, because we're so liable to thankful if I do a certain thing that would please God.
Well, doing the certain thing is important in the sense of obedience, but unless the motive is right, it has no value before God.
What gives it value is that we're doing it to please God. Now, of course, if we're going to please him, we must please him according to the instruction that he has given. And that alone is the way we can please him, because it says that.
If any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.
And he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. But I believe the important point in this chapter.
And I think the thing we need to all get hold of we might take our place at the Lord's table. We might partake of the Lord's Supper. But we could ask ourselves, why are we doing it? Is it to please the one who has done so much for us? If we are seeking to walk in separation in the world, are we doing it because it's one of the rules that we have become acquainted with, and this is the way things should be done? Or are we doing what we do?
To please him.
So this verse, I think, brings before us this very important thing that it without faith it is impossible to please him. And as our brother brought before us last night in the gospel, there might be those who prophesied in his name, there might be those who did many wonderful works.
Without faith, it's impossible. So faith has God for its object. Faith is doing what we do to please Him, and we learn how in His word. But the moulder is so important than this, I believe, is the theme of this chapter, and I believe it speaks to all our hearts, and we need to ask ourselves in God's presence, Am I doing this to please God? I'd say too that that there's an encouraging word here.
00:40:15
He is a rewarder.
Of them that diligently seek him.
And one might be become.
Maybe a little downcast in feeling that one is not able to do much in the way of great service for the Lord, but if we take up the word of God.
As has been pointed out, with a desire to please God and our walk in ways children obedient to parents, whatever the exhortations are we have in the Word, yielding our bodies a living sacrifice. It may be that as far as.
Great service. It may appear to be a very small thing and we know in Christendom.
There's not much emphasis put upon pleasing God In everyday affairs. There's a great emphasis placed upon taking up some activity, some work that that can be pointed out as a producing results, but to take up the daily pursuits of life and our work and in our school and in our homes. But here it says he's a rewarder.
Of them that diligently seek him, and we know that such labor is not in vain. I was thinking in regard to the verse in verse four in regard to Abel.
It says at the end of that verse.
And by it he being dead yet speaketh. In other words, what he did. God testified of his gifts and what he did. We see that God has recorded it and it still has a voice today. It's a it has a voice, even though it was done many years ago. And I would connect that with the thought to of his God taking account of what he's done to please him.
And what is done according to his mind and his will, and obedience to His word.
And he records it. He keeps a record of it and.
He can use it for blessing to others, and then he is a rewarder of those who would be exercised for that. Nice to see that principle. We don't do things in faith because of the reward, but God will never be better to anyone, and it's nice that principle is always there. I was thinking in a Mark, the 10th chapter of Mark.
Peter.
Was bringing up to the Lord.
What it cost them to follow him.
And he said, Law in verse 28, Law, we have left all and followed thee. Well, of course, if we're thinking about what it costs us to follow the Lord, we're not giving him any pleasure. We're occupied with ourselves and our work. And Jesus answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, there's no man that has left house for president, or sisters, or father, mother, or wife, or children or land.
For my sake in the gospel.
But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time.
Houses and brothers, sisters and mothers, children and lands with persecution and in the world to come, eternal life. Well, we know that he's brought us out of this world to bring us in. Well, we know that he's brought us out of this world to bring us in, as was the principle with the children of Israel. But he's brought us into a wealthy place. He's brought us into a large place that says in the Psalms.
We have brethren worldwide. We have fellowship. Life was unknown, and that's what the Lord Speaking of here. It's wonderful to have that in our heart. Now, just before in this chapter in verse 17, he had that rich young ruler coming to him in earnest, and he could say I've kept all these things from my youth off. Without faith, it's impossible to please him.
00:45:02
The Lord looked upon him, beheld him, and loved him.
Because the Lord loves anything that would seek to to be doing according to his word. But there wasn't any faith. He was law keeping and he did. He did not give pleasure to the Lord. In fact He left the sorrowful. And that's what the Lord said, take up thy cross and follow me and give me pleasure in another gospel that says take up thy cross.
Daily It's an exercise, they say. And when you're following him, there is a cross. There's a rejection. He had a reproach and a loss but all what a rewarder he is. He that shall save his life here, shall lose it, but he shall he that shall lose his life, for my sake shall find it. And what a life we found.
Abundantly in Christ, He might say in a general way that rewards are never a motive for service, but in difficulties when things get tough, then Scripture presents a reward as an encouragement. The motive for service or doing things for the Lord is always affection to Christ.
Like we have it even when Peter lovers dharmeet. That is the motive.
But rewards are not a motive, but they are held out as an encouragement in times of difficulty.
I think we have a very happy instruction in the might return to it for a moment in the first chapter of Second Peter, a parallel with what we have here in connection with that word diligently seeking him.
In second Peter chapter one.
The first four verses are the position that every believer.
Is in that is is standing before God and every believer has this, he's executed these.
Eating great and precious promises and the deliverance from corruption that is in the world through lust. And then in the fifth verse it changes, and there we have responsibility. And in another translation it says In this in the King James it says And beside this well, the other translation puts this way, and for this very reason.
Well, what is the reason for that which the Blessed Lord Jesus has accomplished and the position that grace has brought us into now with all this, the consciousness of it, because of it Now he says, And for this very reason add to your faith, virtue, and so on. And there are the the exercise. There is the diligence that is necessary.
All things that pertain unto life and godliness in the third verse, second verse, or third verse, but we are to give all diligence. Now then what is the result of it? Down in the 10th verse it says, Wherefore, the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, ye shall never fall.
Never stumbled so there that is not as has been pointed out.
We're not acting because of any desire for the reward, but we have the the all of the work of the redemption and the total deliverance that we have in Christ. And for that very reason now we are to use all the diligence and the promise is that if we do these things, we shall never fall.
We notice in the Church's history down through the ages, as I believe we can accept the thought there in Revelation 2 and three in every period of time there were things to overcome. And so it's very helpful to see how the Lord encourages the overcomer in each of those periods of time. And so in Ephesus He gives.
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Encouragement as to the tree of life.
Well, I've thought of it in this way that.
To go on with the Lord and to forfeit the advantages.
Of this life, at least in some measure.
There will be that reward in that connection. That is, the Lord will show his approval in regard to the tree of life. In other words, the Lord Jesus says, he that findeth his life shall lose it, but he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. And so there is this encouragement here as to what true life is, laying hold of eternal life. And then we see in Smyrna that he gives encouragement.
In regard to the second death, he that overcometh verse 11 shall not be heard of the second death, and we see 2IN regard to Pergamus.
In verse 17.
That the Lord is going to give His approval, that is, in regard to the enjoyment of Himself. Christianity may have taken a popular turn at this point.
But we see that the Lord would give that approval in a hidden way, the enjoyment of himself and the Whitestone, which is the mark of his approval and a name of affection, no doubt in that connection. Then we see entire tariff where the Church more or less was asserting itself in the world, taking an imperial position and seeking to gain power over the nation.
We see that the Lord offers this word of encouragement to the overcomer.
That he would give him power over the nations in verse 26 and then we see also in.
Sardis, where there was this question of state churches and a name having a name to live, and so forth, we see that the Lord would offer this encouragement that they should walk with him.
Or they should be clothed in white. Raiment verse five of chapter 3, and he would confess his name before his father. All in contrast to this.
Question of having a name and a place in the world religiously. And then of course in Philadelphia. It's lovely to see the word to the overcomer there, because he says that he'll make him a pillar in the temple of my God. That certainly bespeaks of stability, a recognition of a steadfastness and a stability, and the assembly we notice in First Timothy 3 is looked at as the pillar and ground of the truth.
And has it continued on in that responsibility? Well, we see that the Lord values the true overcomer in regard to this Philadelphian testimony, and says that he will make him a pillar in the temple of his God, and so forth. And then he uses other expressions in a very personal way that indicate his approval even to the extent of keeping the word of God and.
Bringing in the thought of the New Jerusalem, the Church.
And it's millennial and it's eternal character and all of these things. And my new name in the end of verse 12, indicating his appreciation, his value for holding to the truth of his name now as the only true gathering center. Finally then, in Laodicea, we see the word to the overcomer in verse 21 That the Lord is going to give His.
Full approval, that is his being set down at the right hand.
Of God was a mark of his God's approval of his beloved Son, and the Lord would add that encouragement.
For the overcomer, when everything is in such a state of indifference.
And coldness, Well, I think it's nice to consider those things, and I'm sure others could add much more to that. But the Lord would encourage the overcomer in any period of time. And you now come to Noah, and we see that he viewed the world as being under judgment. In the case of Enoch, he was, as were, the sighing of coming judgment, but now it becomes imminent in the time of Noah, and he takes his place in separation from the world as seeing it under judgment.
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And he prepares an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith. It's interesting to what it says here. He was warned of God, of things not seen as yet. That is, he didn't, as far as we know from Scripture, there had never been rain. And now God is told that he's going to bring this flood upon the earth and tells him to build this art.
How foolish he must have looked in the eyes of all the people living at that time.
Building a boat a place far from water and telling that a flood was coming and that God was going to send this rain. Well there there was no evidence that he could point to to say that this would take place. Just one thing. God had said it just like we find the Apostle Paul when he stands up there at Mars Hill and says God is appointed today in the which you will judge the world in righteousness.
And by that man whom he hath ordained. And so in the time of Noah, everything went on, just as it had from day-to-day, it says, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And so we're liable to be taken up with the events that are going on now and lose sight of how this will come as a very sudden thing. The Lord will ****** his own away. And then those awful judgments that have been.
Foretold in his word will take place. And so we see in Noah. He isn't looking out and saying, well, it's nice that our family can progress in this world today, but instead he is thinking of his children and they're being delivered from the judgment that's coming. And I believe we need to make provision in connection with providing things honest in the sight of all men. But brethren, let's not set our hopes upon a world that's under judgment.
And may our children too be brought up to the realization of this that we're called with a heavenly calling. We view the world as under judgment. And while we're to occupy and go on from day-to-day and provide the necessary things, let's be careful we don't set our hearts upon it, that we realize what is really coming upon it, and that by this he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
And I've often thought how his family must have suffered at that time. Here we see a great number gathered together and we're thankful. But out of the whole world, there was only one family, and there were only three children in that family. And we can perhaps picture what it meant to these three children to have to tell that this art their father was building was because they believed, and he believed that this judgment was coming.
They didn't have friends. They didn't have support. They didn't have their peers to help them.
They must stand alone. But God rewarded Noah for his faith, and blessed the family too, who associated themselves with it. And I just like also to mention a little thought that I have enjoyed in connection with what it says about Honosiferous. When he came to Rome, he sought out Paul very diligently. And I've enjoyed the comment the Spirit of God makes there. It says the Lord grant mercy under the House of Onusiferous.
For he off refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain. It wasn't an easy thing for this man to tell people that he was looking for a prisoner and he wanted to break bread in his house and remember the Lord. And this was hard for his family, too. Where? Where do you go to remember the Lord? Well, there's a prisoner there. He has a chain and he's got a guard keeping him. But that's where we remember the Lord. Well, this was hard for the family, too.
And the Lord enters into all these things, not only we who are adults, but also what it means to children to have to go on an identification with the truth. But God honors it, God will bless it. And it's beautiful to see these things brought in in the word of God to encourage not only us, older ones, but children, to be identified with their parents in the path of faith.
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Just as they didn't believe Noah's testimony.
Because it hadn't been before. Well, they don't believe today of the judgment to come, and they're willingly ignorant, says Peter. Because they what would I just look at one verse there in Second Peter 3?
They're called scoffers in the third verse, scoffers at the word of God. But notice walking after their own lunch. We're walking after God. That's what we trust by faith. But otherwise there's nothing left but their own lot and their scoffers. And you notice what it is. Where is the promise of his coming? Oh, that's what we're looking forward to, brethren every day.
And it's what keeps our feet detached from this world, with our heart attached there with that old. But, they say, where is the promise of His coming? For since the Father's fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Willingly. Ignorant, they can't deny the flood. Well, they may not believe the word of God, but they can't deny the evidence. That's all over of the flood.
All geologists attribute to it their shells of the highest elevations that all the Aborigines of the world could have transported there. They can't deny the flood it happened, but they're willingly ignorant. That's the heart of man exposed. It will not believe God, the carnal minds that enmity with God and is opposed to God. And so today when we tell them.
And warn them, it's just the same as in Noah's day, apart from the faith we're reading about. That comes from God, and it comes by the word they'll never believe, they'll score.
It's interesting to see that the way it says by the witch, he condemned the world.
The fact of his building, the Ark.
It's put this way that that was the condemnation of the world.
Here, it isn't that he went out and particularly told individuals of the judgment that was coming. I'm not saying he didn't do that. We know he was a preacher of righteousness.
But here it's put not in the way of his declaring to the world by word of mouth.
That judgment was coming, but in the building of the ark he prepared an ark to the saving of his house by the witch.
He condemned the world and the very fact of building that ark.
Was a was a witness to those roundabout of the state of the world that gods would not continue.
And his patience with them at the end of all flesh had come before God, and his Spirit would not always strive with man. That is the very building of that art had that effect, and I believe is that it was pointed out in regard to.
Our houses, households of the Saints.
And not only the parents, but the house where the you might say they are, an arc is prepared. That is, they are preserved from the from the contact of this wicked world and association with it in separation, separation from the world that will have the effect of bringing home to those in the world.
Of what the state of the world is, that it's not pleasing to God. We find that this is what really arouses the enmity of the world.
Sometimes we find that even the preaching of the gospel is acceptable, and Speaking of the truths of Christianity is acceptable with our neighbors that may not know the Lord or maybe just false professors. But separation, they feel, really condemns their pathway. It condemns that which they are living in and when the children are.
Are preserved from the pursuits that others take up in the neighborhood and in the schools.
Why? It has the effect of condemning them, and this arouses the enmity and animosity. But the Lord will preserve them. And as they thought is here the the preparing of the Ark was for the saving of the house. And that's the thought we should have in separation, isn't it? The saving of the house, not just to to.
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Put out any sort of a attitude of being better than others, but it's really the salvation of the house that we're looking for.
And we count upon the Lord for but at the same time it has the effect of condemning the world.
That's case was the very opposite.
Lot when the angels came down and said the place was going to be destroyed, he went to his sons in laws who married his daughters and said that that God was going to destroy this place. But they didn't believe him. It says he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law because his whole life showed that he was living for Sodom, building his hopes there.
And how could he be telling them that it was going to be judged when his life showed the very opposite?
But in the case of Noah here, his life showed that he believed what he was saying, because building this ark was a proof that he believed God, and identifying with that was identifying with a not only a spoken testimony, but a testimony that was lived, that the world is under judgment. Well, brethren, this speaks to our consciences, doesn't it? Because it's so easy for us to talk about the world under judgment, but to live as if we were going to stay here.
But the Lord would have us to realize that at any moment, perhaps this very day, we will hear the shout.
And that will be the signal, as it were, taking away his arm. Just like when Lot left Sodom, it says he was pulled out of it. But when he left Sodom and the judgment came, the only hindrance to the judgment falling is the presence of the Church here. And when the church leaves, the Spirit of God will leave, and then things will begin to move in that awful, awful period of judgment that is coming upon this world.
Get ahead of ourselves, but it's instructive to see how we have some have instructions here in regard to parents, I believe, and their families as we are speaking here. In the seventh verse, it's Noah prepared an ark for the saving of his house, and then in verse nine we read there about Abraham dwelling in tabernacles or tents with Isaac and Jacob. He not only took up the pathway of a Pilgrim and a stranger, but he.
He took it up with his children too, that is.
We find that he had an exercise that that what he should be for the Lord should be for his family and then later on.
In.
We read in the 23rd verse.
Of the parents of Moses. How that they hid him three months.
Because they saw he was a proper child. They saw this child in relation to God, in God's purposes for him, and they held this child to be for God, so they hid him and they were not afraid of the King's commandment. So I believe that the preparing of the ark would be the the.
The way in which the household is conducted, not only the readings and the prayers, but the whole atmosphere in the house would be.
For the salvation of our households from this world And then.
To take up the spirit of a Pilgrim and a stranger.
And the same with our children, that they might be reared from the very beginning with the.
Sense of being a Pilgrim and a stranger, and not belonging to this world and then to.
To take up with them from the very beginning of what they are to be for God.
And God's thoughts for them, that God has has their good and blessing and view, and so in that way we rear them as being the Lords for the Lord in respect to him, and for his for his.
Purposes to be fulfilled in them. So we view them in relationship to the Lord, and not just as having any place in this world, but for the Lord. So I believe there's an exercise here or instructions.
That would exercise.
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Us in regard to our households.
There are many families here, parents, and there's a very lovely promise in connection with brother Johnson has just been saying in Isaiah 44, in Isaiah 44 and verse 3.
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.
And floods upon the dry ground.
I will pour my spirit upon thy seed.
And my blessing upon thine offspring.
Well, I just say this that if as parents were feeding on Christ ourselves, and we're feeding our children on Christ in the home, then we can count on the Lord to preserve and to bless our children and keep them from the corruption that is sweeping our lands. But it is the responsibility, I believe, of the parents.
To be drawing from Christ himself, to be feeding on him, and then feeding the children in the.
Daily reading of the Scriptures with our children? We can't.
We can't neglect the reading of the Scriptures day by day with our children, and if we do, we may have the mercies of the of God. But if we do not neglect that responsibility of feeding the children, then we can count on the Lord to preserve them in in these awful days in which we are living.
The children are of Christian parents. Even one Christian parent is in a place of real advantage. It might be well, since we've come to that thought in First Corinthians 7, it says.
Verse 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified for the husband. Else were your children unclean, but now?
Are they holy? Of course. This doesn't suppose a willful, unequal yoke, but it's a circumstance. It's a provision of grace in Christianity where perhaps one was saved out of a Pagan situation and now the question of their children, Lydia, may be in that position. We don't know in Acts 16, but at any rate, we see that it's not like it was under the law.
Where there couldn't be that mixture, they would have to put them away. But here we see what a provision and grace this is, that those children are in a place of relative holiness, and so by faith we should go ahead and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That is a responsibility. But I believe by faith we can truly count upon God for the blessing of those children. It must be a work, of course.
In their own souls, individually. But by faith, I believe we can count upon them and recognize the fact that they're in that relative holiness. But there is, with this privilege responsibility, brethren, and as parents, there ought to be a very real exercise about it. Now, those of us who might have the joy of seeing our children walking with the Lord, I'm sure.
All will readily.
Admit that it is His grace that he has to get all the glory and the praise. But, beloved, the Lord wants us to be exercised about our responsibility, And I believe that the children themselves know as well They know whether there is our greatest concern, that they be the Lords, that they are saved, that we do not desire a great place for them in the world.
But more than anything, that they be saved and that they go on for the glory of God in this scene. So while we emphasize responsibility, we want to magnify His grace for any that is in the path that is His doing. Because no matter how well we try, how many mistakes we make, if it would be depending entirely on us, nothing would succeed.
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So we want to magnify the grace of God. But, beloved, here we have a passage that speaks to our conscience. Do we really mean, more than anything else, the blessing of our children? Do we seek, I should say, more than anything else, the spiritual well-being of our children?