Hemet Conference: 1996
Table of Contents
Four Old Testament Pictures of the Cross
Ten Similitudes of the Kingdom Part 1
Ten Similitudes of the Kingdom Part 2
David's Mighty Men
Two on the Way to Emmaus
God Giving Lessons to Imperfect People
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
First Chronicles, chapter 12.
And I'd like to read the last two verses of that chapter and then.
The 13th chapter also.
First Chronicles 12, verse 39.
And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.
Moreover, they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on ***** and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen and meat meals, cakes of figs and bunches of raisins and wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly. For there was joy in Israel.
And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seemed good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites, which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us.
Let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
And all the congregations said that they would do so. The thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
So David gathered all Israel together from Shihor of Egypt, even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the Ark of God from Kirjashiram.
And David went up, and all Israel to Belah, that is, to Kirjathjearam, which belongeth to Judah. Bring up thence the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
And they carried the Ark of God in a new cart out of the House of Abinadab an Aza an ahayah grave the cart.
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with sultries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals.
And with trumpets.
And when they came into the threshing floor of Chiden, Aza put forth his hand to hold the Ark, for the oxen stumbled.
The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he smote him because he put his hand to the ark, and there he died before God.
David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Azah, for that place is called Paris Uzza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
So David brought not the Ark home to himself, to the city of David. It carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite.
And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom.
And all that he had.
Well, you know, it's a wonderful thing about the word of God that God not only gives us precepts and doctrine very clearly unfolded in His precious word, but he gives us examples. He teaches us by people, man of like passions with ourselves. He shows us the things that they did that were pleasing to the Lord. He also lets us see their mistakes and how they learn. And this is very blessed for us because we only had precepts.
We wouldn't see how those things worked out in our actual lives. Perhaps sometime you've tried to put a part on your car and you read the instructions, but you provided it also because it was a little picture there that showed you how it was done. And you read the instructions, you followed the picture. You needed them both, and they helped you to do the job well. And God has given us this in His precious Word. And that's what I think is so lovely about the Word of God.
God that God deals with people, not perfect people. If God only pictured people that always did his will in the Old Testament and the New, I'm sure every one of us would be discouraged. We would say, but they're not like us because we make so many mistakes. But isn't it wonderful that God gives us these lessons and teaches us these things in such a wonderful, practical way?
I think the older I get, the more I appreciate the Word of God because it gives us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. There isn't a question that rises in our life that we won't find an answer in the Word of God. Either a doctrine or a precept or perhaps an example, perhaps just a principle, but there is always direction.
00:05:04
And what I believe is important, brethren, is we should realize that God always.
Is is willing on his part to make his mind known. I believe it's important for us to realize this.
I've heard somebody say, well, if such great man as Mr. Darby and Kelly differed, who are we to say that we could know the Lord's mind?
But Mr. Darby and Mr. Kelly were not perfect men, and God has allowed those things. But the point is that God is willing. If our hearts are subject to Him, we really desire His will. He's given us this promise. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.
Again in Philippians 3, and if in anything he be otherwise minded.
God shall reveal even this unto you, so always let us remember that.
God is willing to make his mind known, but we're on our own part too often slow learners. Our wills go to work and so we don't understand, we don't see because our own wills are in the way. But God, I say, is willing, and as we were having last night.
He has given us a new life, a life created in righteousness and true holiness, a life that delights in His will, and He's given us the power by the Holy Spirit. What abundant provision has been made?
The reason I read this little portion and perhaps it fits our case.
There was a very happy state of things in this chapter before.
These different tribes of Israel were coming up to make David king. It was surely the mind of God that that should be so, for David was indeed God's rightful king. And the Lord Jesus is the head of the body, the church. And they had three days together, just like perhaps we had three days together. And I think in our occupation too, we were seeking to recognize.
That blessed one that tells us there in Colossians.
One in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him. And they were having these three happy days together, and their brethren had prepared for them, just as they had prepared for us.
And something stirred in the heart of David that he wanted to give the Lord his rightful place. And I might say that I believe the ark is a figure of this because.
The arc was that which God told Moses to make for the Tabernacle, and he said, when it was made, there I will meet with thee, and there I will commune with thee in all things. And so the ark was really the place where God designed to meet with his people.
We know that this arc had been carried away into the land of the Philistines. Children of Israel had not given it its rightful place. I'm sad to say. On one occasion they said it shall deliver us. Not the Lord shall deliver us, but it. Now we can get occupied with the great privilege of being gathered according to His truth. But we need to be in communion in order to walk in the good of such a blessed thing. And so.
Well, here there was a very happy time among the people of God.
But I think there's a little lesson that we can learn, and that is that fellowship needs to be according to the Word of God.
It tells us in Acts in the early church they continued steadfastly in fellowship and was a suit 2 words before that.
It says they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, you know a lot. There's a lot being said about fellowship, and fellowship really means common thoughts. And how can we have fellowship if we are not recognizing the true ground of all fellowship, that which gives us common thoughts, And that is the truth of God.
As revealed to us in his precious word. So there was a lovely time.
Fellowship here.
And Davidde heart was stirred, and he desired that the Lord would have his rightful place, but he didn't consult the word of God.
He thought about the ark, but he didn't consult the provision that God had made, the instructions that he had given about how this ark was to be carried.
00:10:04
And when he wanted to do this thing, instead of saying let us search and see whether what is done is according to the word of God, he consulted with the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and every leader he had, shall I say, public opinion on his side. They all thought that this was a very, very nice thing, and it was a nice thing.
And we can have a desire for the Lord, and we can have real affection for the Lord.
But if we're going to do something for Him, whether it's in worship or in service, it is important, brethren, that we do it according to His Word.
It's easy, as I say, to say, well, Christian fellowship is very wonderful, and indeed it is, but it needs to be according to his Word. And so with this great joy in Israel.
David consulting with all these people, and notice he doesn't turn to the word of God at all, but he says in the second verse, it's if it seemed good unto you, and it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites, which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us.
You can see.
That he sought their opinion and said, let them gather themselves unto us. In other words, let's come together.
And all have one common purpose. And what was neglected was the Word of God. Well, I'm sure that we can all see the point here in this instruction that God has given us here.
And he says, Let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
And all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. I say again, a right desire, a right thing, but not done in the right way. And so we see that they all came together.
And it seemed like everything was prospering, And it says in the sixth verse. And David went up, and all Israel to Belah, that is, to Curtis Jerome, which belongeth to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord, which dwelleth between the cherry of hims, whose name is called on it.
You know, although I just like to mention about the cherry of him, the first time we read about the cherry of him was when Adam and Eve had sinned and when they were driven out of the garden. God placed cherubims and a flaming sword at the entrance to the garden and the cherry BIM.
Kept, as it were, the way so that no one could return into paradise. But the next time we read about the cherubim is in, I think it's the 25th chapter of Exodus. And there again we see the cherubim at the cherubim is not there with a flaming sword. The cherubim are looking down upon the blood that is.
There, sprinkled on the mercy seat, shall I say, the sword has fallen upon the victim.
The blood has been shed and so God could meet with His people, they could have access into His presence. So the cherubim really were looking down upon the blood that was sprinkled there. I just mentioned, because this is a beautiful picture, that when the ark was made, it was showing that God must have His righteous claims satisfied, but also His love for His people, for He.
Delighted to be among them, he delighted in their blessing.
Well, it tells us then that they came there, and it says they carried the ark.
In a new cart out of the House of Binadab. Where did they get this idea of carrying it in the new card? Well, that's what the Philistines had done.
Philistines didn't know any better. They didn't have the word of God.
And perhaps we might say they were walking up to the light that they had, and they were recognizing that that ark was belonged to the people of God.
So they made this new card and they sent it back. But that wasn't the way that God had planned that the ark should be carried. And there were two men. Azaniah, who drew the cart, have often thought how this gave to those two men quite a bit of importance, that they were the ones driving this new cart and bringing the ark back.
00:15:12
To where God would have it to be. And so isn't it true, brethren?
That immense plan, man, is always in prominence, I believe.
Ch Brown once said Christendom has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves. And I've noticed that when you pick up books that are written by those who are not gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus, you'll almost always find, without exception, that it begins by telling you what a great man this person was who wrote the book.
How many degrees he had and what he had done for the Lord in his service and so on. There's all. It always begins by introducing you to some man who sat in prominence. But I'm thankful when I pick up a book and Holmes have to look carefully to find out who the writer was. Perhaps only his initials. He hides himself. And that's what God would have us to do. He would have us to give the Lord Jesus the rightful place.
We're nothing.
The one whom God said was the greatest among those born of women was John the Baptist, And when they asked him who he was, Art thou that prophet? Art thou the Christ? He said, Well, if you really want to know who I am, I'm just a voice. I'm just a voice, one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
What that nice? Well, God said that this man, John the Baptist.
Was the greatest of those born of women well here in this human plan. This cart was constructed according to a human plan because there were no directions in the word of God about making such a thing.
The man who did it didn't carry it upon their shoulders. If, if I might say, I would think that those men were in prominence. And then you would see behind them the ark, because the ark would be behind them. What a difference in the way that God planned.
Which we'll see later. For the carrier. It was on the shoulders of the priest, and as they walked along, there was that ark high above their heads, above their shoulders. And people would see the ark in the crowd. They wouldn't see who was carrying it, they just see that ark.
Because God wanted to attract attention to that which spoke of His beloved Son.
Well then too, we find here that the oxen stumbled. God didn't.
Shall I say favor this plan, a human plan? And the oxen stumbled, and Aza put forth his hand to steady the ark. You know, President, we don't have to defend the truth. You don't have to defend the lion. We just have to speak the truth in love, hold the truth in love. We don't have to defend it. We just speak it and let God take care of the power that it has, Paul said.
Speaking the truth in love.
And it's the Spirit of God who alone can apply the Word to heart and conscience.
And make it good in our souls. We may hear the things, but only as the Spirit of God brings it home to our souls does it really become our own.
Well, the oxen stumbled.
He put out his hand and God interfered. He didn't allow this plan to continue, and David was displeased.
Sometimes we're liable to get displeased when God interferes with our plans.
But isn't a good thing? He does interfere, brethren, if we're not doing it according to His mind and will, isn't it a good thing if He does interfere? Would we really want him to put his approval on something we were doing if it were not His will? It was really His goodness. It was a solemn thing, but also it was His goodness that he didn't allow this to continue. And sometimes God does step in and maybe we get this pleased too, because we had a plan.
And we thought we were doing it for the Lord, but in reality we were. We were following a plan of ourselves and not going by the direction of His Word.
But then there's a lovely little thing that's brought into this chapter.
All I might just mention.
In the 12TH verse and David was afraid of God that day, saying.
How shall I bring the Ark of God home to me? It's not good. How?
00:20:05
He immediately shows that there's an exercise that has begun in his soul. He didn't. He was displeased. He was a little discouraged, but he didn't allow that him to get him so discouraged. Sometimes when the Lord steps in, we get so discouraged and say, I'll never try again.
But he says, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? He didn't learn the lesson at once. And we're slow, brethren, to lay hold of what God wants to teach us all too often.
But he's so patient with us.
But what I wanted to particularly notice was here in the last two verses. So David brought not.
The ark home to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had.
This is a very precious little touch that he's brought in in the end of this chapter.
This man, old by Edom, could have allowed himself and his family to be very discouraged. What had happened.
He could have been so discouraged that he would have, so to speak, given up. But here we see the ark was brought into his house, and the Lord blessed the House of Oved Edom.
And maybe we learn this, brother, trials do come in the assembly. Sometimes things are done and maybe they are not done in just the right way. And we can become so discouraged that we say, oh, I give up. There's no use. There are too many difficulties. And those kind of things affect our families. I look back and I know there were trials that came in my father's life, too. But the lesson that I learned, I believe, was how he reacted when those things.
Took place. Did he allow those things to get him discouraged and say it's no use, there are too many problems and trials? Or did he seek to profit and take it from the Lord? I think we have that little thought brought out in 3rd John Two. There was a man in the assembly there.
He he loved to have the preeminence, he wanted to be the top person, but it tells us about Gaius that he still went on and it says thou doest. Perhaps I could read it because I'm not just Cornigan right here. Third epistle of John.
The third verse.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.
Was that a happy little assembly? Well, I think it must have been a real trial that there was a man there named Ultrafes who loved to have the preeminence and was acting in such a self willed way. But isn't it nice that John could write and speak about this beloved Gaius and that he and his children walked in the truth? Never allow the difficulties in the assembly to get you so discouraged. It's going to affect your children if you do, it's going to affect the family. But the Lord blessed the House of all that Edom.
He could have said, well, I'm through with all this when such a thing has happened, but the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. Well, what a happy little lesson we learn here. And it's possible for us too, when difficulties arise, to just go on quietly and encourage our children so that they might see that there is a way to.
Triumph above the problems and difficulties that come in among the people of God.
God.
Well, now we read in the next chapter just a little instance.
The eighth verse of the 14th chapter.
And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, and David heard of it and went up against them.
David and the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up, for I will deliver them into thy hand.
So they came up to Baal Perezen and David Smotham there, and David said, God hath broken in upon my enemies by mine hand, like the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazin.
And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire, and the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.
00:25:10
Therefore David inquired again of God, And God said unto him, Go not up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees.
And it shall be when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the Mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go up.
Out to back, go out to battle, for God has gone before 1/4 before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. They therefore did as God commanded him, and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer. And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.
Well, in the chapter before, we were noticing that there were God-given instructions in His Word about how the ark was to be carried and David should have searched. We'll see in the next chapter when we come to it that he did search in the Word of God and he found out that there were these instructions and that this was to be done according to God's plan.
But in this chapter there was another situation arose, shall I say, a situation in which he didn't have any direct.
Instruction in the scripture. He knew that the Philistines were enemies.
But just how to handle this situation was a matter of prayer.
There are things that come in our lives where we have a definite scripture. When we have a definite scripture, there's only one path really open to us, and that is the path of obedience.
But there are many things that arise in our lives where we don't have a definite scripture, where we need to seek the Lords mind in prayer.
If I might illustrate it, something like this, maybe there are general meetings announced. And so there's no verse in the Bible. Well, you're to go to the meetings, we'll say at Denver. You can find a verse in the Bible to tell you to go to the meetings in Denver when they hold them. And So what do you do? What do you pray about it? Ask the Lord if it's his mind that you should go there.
And I think that's a very lovely thing, the way it's brought out here. There was a situation in the chapter before where there was a definite scripture and we find definite instruction in the Word of God, how he would have us to gather ministry. All these things are laid out most carefully in the Word of God gathering the name of the Lord Jesus.
About ministry, all these things given to us, but I say they're also come.
Decisions in our lives where we can't turn to a particular verse in the scripture saying go to Denver, go to the Burbank meetings, but we pray about it. We pray about it. And this is what David did when the Philistines came up against him. He asked the Lord, how should I handle this situation? And the Lord told him to go out and he would undertake for him.
He didn't do a lot of boasting.
He didn't consult with other people. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and you don't go and tell people. The Lord sent me to Denver to the meeting. So the Lord sent me to Burbank. That's a little secret you have between your soul and the Lord. You feel that He has directed you and you simply just go on following his direction. And the Lord granted a victory over these Philistines. The Lord came in in a wonderful way and I'm sure every one of us have had those.
Kind of experiences, he decided, about a move in your life.
Where you should go to find a job or those kind of things, you pray, you ask the Lord. It's a secret between yourself and the Lord. It gives you peace about it and you do it and you see how He comes in and undertakes for you.
But another thing we learned in this passage, brethren, I think, is not to set a precedent.
The next time the Philistines came, he didn't say, well, I know what to do because the Lord told me last time. This is the way it's to be done. There are no two situations in our lives that are exactly alike. Every situation that arises has a different setting, and we have to be the Lord. In other words, because the Lord told you to go to Denver one year doesn't mean you go every year.
You seek his mind, you seek his will as the fresh occasion arises.
00:30:02
That each situation is different. And so the Lord said, going on up, wait for the sound in the Mulberry trees. In other words, the Lord was guiding him in a different way. And I think it's wonderful that we have these things in the mind in the word of God.
As instruction for us, as I say, could have given us all these things by just giving us simple doctrines, but instead of this he gives us men of like passion.
With ourselves. Let's see how they acted. And so David went up the second time in an altogether different way. He waited for the sound in the Mulberry trees. He didn't come, shall they say, head on into the situation. He handled it differently. Perhaps there's someone here and there's a similar situation arising.
Vote against the Philistines. He felt he had the Lords mind, but he said this it may be the Lord will work for us. The Lord is not. He doesn't have to have many, he can do it just as well by few. But he didn't say the Lord is going to come in on our behalf. That was a secret between himself and the Lord. He said the Lord doesn't need a big crown, he's able.
But he sought to do the Lord's will, and he left it with him. I remember reading him a remark in Mr. Darby's that.
Touched me, he said.
Pretensions about special spiritual guidance are never humble.
Pretensions about special spiritual guidance are never humble.
So when the Lord makes his mind known why we just have a secret between ourselves and the Lord, we seek to act to please Him.
And God undertook in this particular case.
But now we find in this 15th chapter.
They're going to bring up the Ark the same as they were going to do in the 13th chapter, only something wonderful has happened.
David doesn't consult with the captains of thousands and hundreds in every leader. He goes to the word of God. He seeks the direction of the Word of God. I'd just like to read at least part of this chapter now.
15th chapter of First Chronicles. And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God.
And pitched for an attempt. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever. What a difference before he had asked the captains of thousands and hundreds in every leader he hadn't searched the word of God for.
Instruction but now he says I have the word of God, and when you.
Then I have the word of God.
We are responsible to act in obedience. It's a personal thing. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use. I don't mean that we won't have others identified with us. David had many identified with him, but he acted in obedience as an individual before God.
And so he didn't, he said.
In the third verse, and David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord.
Into his place, which he had prepared for it.
There are a number of names mentioned here in the verses up to the 12TH. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.
Under the place that I have prepared for it. For because ye did it not at the first the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. So the priest said, the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel, and the children of the Levites bear the ark of God.
Upon their shoulders, with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded.
According to the word of the Lord, what a difference on this occasion.
He brings the word of God before the people, tells them to sanctify themselves, set themselves apart for the Lord. And there's a great number of men mentioned here.
We're not told who all bore the ark. There evidently was a place and a responsibility for each one of them. There's no special honor to give them to any particular man who bore the ark. They had an individual responsibility, and each one of us have an individual responsibility before the Lord.
00:35:23
And they carried it upon their shoulders, as I say, high above their.
Heads, I think a little picture to us how the person of Christ is beyond our natural minds. No man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Very important. We bring it down to the level of the cart that was probably even below them, because they sat up in front and drave the card, but the truth of God.
In connection with the person of Christ is a divine mystery. Shall I say, no man knoweth the sun, but the fun?
Important that we should give the Lord.
His rightful place and bring our mind to this objection, to His word and His truth.
And now we find them praising here in the 16th verse, and David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint with their brethren to be singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps, and symbols sounding.
By lifting up the voice with joy.
And just like to notice another little.
Here in the 23rd verse.
And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the Ark.
And Shevhaniah, and Jehoshaphat and Nathanael, and Amasii, and Zechariah, and Benaiah and Eliezer. The priest did blow with the trumpets before the Ark of God.
And Oberidom and Jahaya were doorkeepers for the Ark.
There are no doorkeepers before we notice, but now there are doorkeepers for the Ark and Brethren. There are doorkeepers in the assembly.
David said I'd rather be a doorkeeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Sometimes I've thought it's not very easy to be a doorkeeper, is it? You know, you'll probably get yourself into a little bit of trouble when you try to exercise the responsibility that there would the assembly would be kept pure from evil doctrine, that evil should be judged. There needs to be doorkeepers, if you'll notice when Solomon's temple was constructed.
There were the same number of courses of doorkeepers called porters, the same number of courses of porters as singers. Because if they weren't doorkeepers, the praise will be hindered too. If we are not careful that the holiness of God's house should be maintained, then it's going to hinder the praise. And so while the praise was going on, they were careful to have doorkeepers.
It's quite interesting too, I noticed in the book of I think it's Zechariah.
It speaks about the instruments of the shepherd. One was beauty and the other was bands.
And we're told that the.
The one named the instrument of the shepherd named Beauty was broken, and when he had broken the instrument of beauty, then he broke the second instrument that called bands. And brethren, the only thing that holds us together really, according to the mind of God, is that the beauty of Christ should be upon us. If the beauty of Christ is not upon us, that which holds us together is gone too.
It's broken too, so the one who seeks to.
To shepherd the flock of God, he seeks that the beauty of Christ would be seen and developed in the dear Saints of God. And then that which holds us together is maintained too. If we're all walking in the unity of the Spirit, in the uniting bond of peace, walking in the truth of God, And that which holds us together is maintained also.
Very interesting to notice these little points that the.
Spirit of God brings before us.
So now in the 25th verse, so David and the elders of Israel.
And the captains over thousands went to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the House of Obed Edom with joy. And it came to pass when God helped the Levites.
I'd bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord that they offered seven bullocks and seven Rams.
Well, it was taken out of the House of Obed Edom.
Perhaps we could see how that God in His goodness had kept that little family in the midst of a time of sorrow and disappointment among the peoples of people of God. And oh brethren, when these difficulties do come, may the Lord grant that our families would be kept, and that we would value the truth of God, and that we would together seek to go on in it. Then the Lord granted this restoration, and the ark is brought to the place where God had.
00:40:28
Appointed, and it tells us here, they offered seven bullocks and seven Rams.
And that is they there was the acknowledgement of what the Lord had done.
For the sacrifices, as we know, speak of the work of Christ. The Bullock was the largest of the burnt offerings, and the Rams speak of devotedness. The ram of consecration, it's called.
And here's the perfect number. How beautiful it was to see that when David and all Israel sought to do things in God's way, there was such blessing among them and such encouragement for all, even for the House of Obed Edom. Now they could walk on collectively in the enjoyment of the things of God.
Well, perhaps I should read here.
In the 28th verse. Thus all Israel brought the Ark of the Covenant.
Of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals making a noise, with psalteries and harps.
And it came to pass, as the ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the city of David, that Michael, the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, saw King David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart. She couldn't understand this. She couldn't see. She was, as we know, the daughter of Saul, as we're told here.
She wasn't in harmony with all this.
And so they are in the flesh cannot please God. We may be sure that those who are walking in the flesh will never enjoy seeing the Lord have His rightful place. But here we find that David was so rejoicing that he thought he forgot about even his own dignity.
And he was just rejoicing that at last the Lord had come in. What a change when he was displeased when the Lord stepped in and hindered that human plan. But how he's rejoicing now when the Lord is given his rightful place. Now I'd just like to notice the few verses introducing in the next chapter. And they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent that.
David had pitched for it and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord, and he dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone, a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and a wine. Here we see that when God's plan is followed, when they seek to give the Lord his rightful place.
Even lo Michael may despise.
What blessing flowed out to all people of God?
And it says they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
I may have mentioned before, but.
I believe it's helpful for us to understand a little bit about the different offerings. I think we all know that there were five different offerings. There was the burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering.
I believe that the.
It's an offering in the trespass offering. Bring before us how our need is so fully met in the work of Christ at the cross. The meat or the meal offering. Bring before us the perfect humanity of the Lord. He came down and became a man to do His Father's will. The burnt offering, which is the first.
Bring Me brings before us what the work of Christ is to the heart of God.
And the peace offering, it could be called a communion offering.
And justice for the sake of illustration, because I had a little difficulty about this myself.
00:45:00
I heard someone say, well primarily we worship God in the burnt offering character, and I must say that I didn't understand at all what was meant by that comment. But when I was able by the Lord's help to lay hold of what the burnt offering really is, I could see how much we could learn from that.
You know, perhaps an illustration helps in this posing iota great debt. And I'm not able to pay the debt. And a friend comes along and says, Gordon, I understand you're in difficulty. Give me your bills and I'll pay them for you. And he takes all the bills and he pays them for me. He brings back a clear receipt and I thank him so much and I rejoice that my debt is paid. I'm not going to be.
With my my creditor anymore because I have a clear receipt.
But, you know, I haven't learned anything about the heart of my creditor. Does he like me, or does he not? I know he's got a satisfactory payment, but I haven't learned anything about his feelings toward me. But let me illustrate it in a little different way. Let us suppose that my creditor himself sees this big debt on his books.
And he feels for me, he loves me and he says to.
His son, he said. I love that Gordon Hale, you see this big debt on our books here. Would you be willing to sell your house so that we can raise the money to take this debt off our books?
And his son says, yes, Dad would be difficult for me, but I I'll do that so that you can show your love to Gordon Hale. And so he does that. And one day in the mail, I get a letter. And this letter says.
Here's the bill. It's marked paid in full through the kindness of my son.
Isn't that more than just knowing my debts paid?
Now the sin offering brings before us the blessed thought of how fully our debt is paid, but the burnt offering brings before us.
How that it was the Lord Jesus offering himself to God as a sweet smelling savor. Oh how wonderful. I meet my creditor. Oh, he's my best friend. His son means so much to me.
Can you perhaps in some way understand that we're not just rejoicing in the Lord's presence, that our debt is paid, but we know the heart of God our Father. We know the love that's in the heart of His Son, and that love has been toward us. And so the peace offering is the communion offering. If somebody else paid the debt and my creditors on the other side of the street, I wouldn't bother going across the street to meet him. I know that he's satisfied, but he means nothing to me himself.
But if that happens, every time I meet him, I'm telling him what I think of his Son. What a wonderful son you have. And I just want to tell you how much He means to me. And he must mean to you that you would do that, that He would do that, to tell out your heart, the burnt offering, the peace offerings. For we do things, brethren, in God's way. What a blessing there is. I like the little hymn that says by thee, O God invited.
Come to the Son in whom thy soul delighted, who all I will have done, and by the one chief treasure thy bosom freely gave. Thine own pure love we measure thy willing mind to save. And so.
That's why we worship primarily. We rejoice that our debts all paid. Thus in offering the trespass offering, we rejoice that the Lord became a man. But a burnt offering and the peace offering means so much to us. We know the heart of God revealed as it has been revealed in His Son.
And so here we find that He gives, He gives to everybody they made, they offered the burnt offerings and the peace offering, and then He gives to everyone a portion to carry to their home. Well, brethren, it is very wonderful when we come in the assembly and we are gathered there around the Lord Jesus to remember Him and His death, to tell God our Father how much we appreciate His beloved Son and the love.
Father's heart that sent him, but we can carry something home too. And so after this happy event was over, he dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman. Isn't this nice? Both man and woman, not just the brothers who perhaps take the audible part and do take the audible part, but the sisters too can carry something to their own home. So he dealt to everyone.
00:50:13
A loaf of bread.
Perhaps Speaking of the Lord Jesus as the bread of life, a good piece of flesh for Paul could say for the more mature believers that he wanted to feed them not only with milk but with the meat too. With the meat too. He said, I fed you with milk and not with meat. But he wanted, he said, strong meat.
Belongeth to those that are of full age. God, do you like when we grow in the knowledge of himself?
And a flagon of wine, we know that speaks of joy. Well, what lessons we can learn from these little portions that God has given us, brethren in His word. So I say again, we see a human plan to do what was for the Lord, but all arranged according to a human plan to bring up the ark, but entirely in man's way. And God blew upon it then those.
Circumstances that arise in life when we have to make decisions and we perhaps don't have a definite Scripture, but we turn to the Lord and He undertakes. And I'm sure every one of us have experienced some of those things when we've made a decision to do something. We didn't have a particular Scripture, but we prayed about it. We looked to Him now wonderfully. He came in, and then when a new circumstance arose again, we turned to Him. He helps us again.
And then we see this ark brought up in God's way. What a blessing. Not only was the Lord glorified, but every person went away with a blessing too. Every man and every woman carried something to his home. Well, may the Lord grant that we'll carry these things to our home. But may I just say again, if there are difficulties and trials that arise among the people of God.
Let's be careful.
But they don't spoil the happy communion of the Lord in our families at home.
And the ark was carried into the House of old Edom. They weren't going to lose out. And brethren, we need to be careful that we don't allow difficulties in the assembly to be carried into our homes and spoil the happy enjoyment of the Lord and of His presence in our homes. And we turn to Him, and we find afterwards He comes in and works things out.
The difficulty is taken care of and then we can go on happily even after.
After the problem has been settled, what a wonderful thing that we have all this instruction for us in the Word of God.
Christ Set Down
Five Young Men