A BRIEF OUTLINE OF LECTURES ON HEZEKIAH
Read carefully 2 Chronicles 29.
It is important to notice, that, at this time, both Judah and Israel had utterly departed from the Lord. Sad, and low indeed, was Judah’s condition, as described in 2 Chronicles 28; all was wrong; all apostasy and idolatry. What a hopeless picture! But a picture drawn for us — written for us. Is it not a picture of all around? A man said to me the other day, as an excuse for remaining in what he knew to be wrong, “I have read, and compared the Acts, the early days of the church, with all I see now; and all is so different from what I read, that I have no hope of things being right, and so I go on as I am.” In contrast with this man, we read of Hezekiah, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chron. 29:22And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. (2 Chronicles 29:2)). Yes, in the midst of all that was wrong, he did that which was right; and mark, not in his own sight, not in his own opinion, but in THE SIGHT OF THE LORD. This, then, is the foundation-principle of our present lesson: God can raise up a man, can enable His child, to do that which is right in the sight of the Lord, in the midst of all that is wrong.
These things were written for our instruction, and how very striking the analogy! Has not Christendom departed as far from the inspired teaching of the Holy Ghost, as Judah had departed from the inspired words of Moses? When the one is seen as a picture of the other, then every verse contains instruction to our souls.
Let us notice three things, especially illustrating the present condition of Christendom: First, “They have shut up the doors of the porch.”
Second, “And put out the lamps.”
If we look at the established Church of God, as found in the beginning, we find the way into the holiest open; every believer, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10); perfected forever by the one offering; all purged worshipers in the unclouded presence of God. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” Delivered from the power of darkness; translated into the kingdom of His dear Son; absolute certainty as to redemption and forgiveness of sins; all trespasses forgiven; sins to be remembered no more, no more; immutable peace with God, according to all that God is; no longer afar off, but so near, in all the fullness of the Father’s love. (Col. 1:12-14; 2:1312Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:12‑14)
13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13); Heb. 10; Rom. 5).
Compare all this with the state of Christendom for centuries. Read all prayer-books — Roman, Greek, Anglican, and especially the sad, despairing wail of the Ritualists. Yea, hearken to the pulpit prayers of all Christendom. Is this the worship of divine certainty — that sins have been atoned for, and, having been confessed to God, are all forgiven? Hark, is this the worship of the Christian in the holiest, in perfect peace with God? Has not Christendom practically shut up the doors? and, instead of the worship of the purged worshiper inside the veil, is it not taking again the place of the Jew afar off, crying for mercy, just as the Jew did before redemption was accomplished? Is not this saying we are Jews, when we are not, the sin of unbelief? Is it not denying that Jesus has come in the flesh, and finished the work — that work of redemption — which the Father gave Him to do? Do not millions still pray as Jewish disciples were taught by the Lord before His death and resurrection, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive them that trespass against us”?
In contrast with the Christian’s thanksgivings now, “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” The Scripture says to all Christians, “Having forgiven you all trespasses” (Col. 2:1313And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13)). Christendom says, No; we must keep praying to God as miserable sinners, hoping that God will forgive us. O, how sad our unbelief! Have we not also shut up the doors? This is so solemn, that I must dwell upon it a little longer. If it were sad for Judah to shut up the doors, is it not far more so now? “Then, verily, the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary”. And there was still the veil that shut man out: no saint, not a David, or an Isaiah, could pass that veil. Now the established church, as found in Scripture, was the very contrast of all this. No worldly sanctuary, and no veil to shut out the least of all saints: the veil was rent, and there was boldness to enter by the blood of Jesus. The believer’s calling and worship is heavenly. O, how sad the departure from God’s established church! to go not only back to a worldly sanctuary and ordinances, but practically to hang up again the rent veil, and shut up the doors. Not only so, they had “PUT OUT THE LAMPS.”
What did the seven lamps of the sanctuary typify? Was it not the Spirit of God in the assembly, or church? The all-sufficiency of the Holy Ghost? Those seven lamps were to be lighted, “that they may give light over against it” (the golden candlestick) — the very command of Jehovah, when He spake the first time, from between the cherubim. (Num. 8). And in that light stood the table of showbread — the twelve representative loaves, borne on that table, covered with pure gold, and the loaves covered with frankincense. What a picture! The whole redeemed children of God sustained, borne, in divine righteousness, before God, and covered with all the preciousness of Christ. Not now, however, twelve loaves — there were twelve tribes of Israel — there is only “one body,: and therefore only one loaf on the table of the Lord. But as all the particles of bread are chemically one loaf, so all Christians form spiritually the one body of Christ. All borne in divine righteousness before God — all covered with the perfections of Christ — one with Christ, the Head.
But where was the beauty of all these golden shadows of Christ when the lamps were put out?
All was darkness. Can this be a picture of Christendom? If such was the place and importance of the seven lamps of the temple, what was the place and importance of the Holy Ghost in the divinely established Church of God? Did you ever notice how much this occupied the thoughts of Christ that last night He spent with His disciples? “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,” (John 14:1717Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17)).
Again, the promise is repeated in John 14:2626But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26), “He shall teach you all things.” Again, John 15:2626But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26), and much of John 16, is occupied with this all-important assurance of the coming and presence of the Spirit. It was even expedient that Jesus should go away, that the Spirit might come. And just as the typical lamps gave light over against the candlestick, so the Holy Ghost “will guide you into all truth.” And “He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of Mine, and show it unto you.”
When redemption was accomplished, and Jesus received up to the right hand of God — Pentecost being fully come — the Holy Ghost, was sent down to take His place and form the Church of God. Thus, as when the lamps were lit, all was light in the sanctuary; so, when the Holy Ghost had His place in the Church of God, all was light.
What a reality this was! Take just one instance. The church was gathered together; the Holy Ghost said, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them;” and these beloved, honored ministers of Christ were sent to that special mission by the Holy Ghost. (Acts 13:1-41Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:1‑4)). And His divine place is fully recognized in the epistles. (See 1 Cor. 12; 14, “Dividing to every man severally as He will.”) O, think of the established church of the Scriptures! The Holy Ghost revealing the glory of Christ, using whom He will, in the assembly. The prophets thus speaking, two or three. O, sad solemn fact, for many, many centuries, man, as far as lies in him, has shut up the doors, and put out the lamps. Yes, as far as possible, the Holy Ghost has been displaced, until Christendom is so conscious of its distance from God, and its darkness, that it is constantly taking the place of the Jew before Christ died, and the Holy Ghost was sent down to abide to the end. Its prayers are those of the Jew afar off — cries for mercy; and on all sides, in the dark, may be heard prayers for the Holy Spirit to come, as though the Father had refused to send Him, and He had not come. Is not all this far more sad than the state of Judah in the days of Hezekiah? Yes, for centuries cries for mercy, distance and darkness, instead of incense and burnt-offerings, worship and adoration, in the full, blessed enjoyment of our acceptance, in all the sweet savor of Christ.
(To be Continued)