Brief Outline of Lectures on Hezekiah
Read Carefully 2 Chronicles 29.
In the first year of Hezekiah’s reign, He opened the doors of the house of the Lord. No doubt he lighted the lamps, but this is not recorded. However we may have grieved and set aside the Holy Spirit, He is still here. He has not to come again. We have to own Him, in unfeigned dependence. And has not God, rich in mercy, opened again the doors of the house of the Lord? Has He not restored to our souls, in these days, the discovery, that, instead of saying we are Jews, and standing afar off, we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus? Has He not swept away to faith the rubbish of all human, worldly sanctuaries? May we never forget the all-sufficiency of the Holy Ghost. Again, unhindered, may He ever glorify Christ. O, wondrous grace, thus to restore the long-lost worship in spirit and in truth!
Those words of Hezekiah are very applicable again — “My sons, be not negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him.” Yes, the Lord has chosen a feeble little band; may my reader be one of them. And what was the effect when the doors were open, the rubbish taken out, and the lamps burning brightly? “They brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin-offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah.” All these were killed, and the blood sprinkled upon the altar. Hands were laid on the sin-offering, and reconciliation made for all Israel.
And what has been the case since our God has been pleased to make known the open way into the holiest, in these days, and to gather again His children in the guardian care of the Holy Ghost? Fuller and deeper discoveries of the infinite value of the blood of Jesus! The glories and perfections of His person!
In each of these offerings the number was seven — the one offering of Christ, perfect in every aspect. The blood was sprinkled on the altar, before hands were laid on the sin-offering, in identification. O, my soul, dwell on this — yea, go a little further, for it is the same principle. On the day of atonement see the golden censer, and the sweet incense, beaten small, and the fire from off the altar, and the cloud of incense covering the mercy-seat. That censer had no pattern, its manufacture is not on record. No; in this figure see the uncreated eternal Son — the Holy, Holy, Holy One! as known only to the Father. And why all this first, before the blood is taken in, and sprinkled before God? Does not God solemnly tell us in this, that no less a victim could make reconciliation for sins? Such His wrath against sin, no other propitiation for the sins of men could be made. And, more, nothing could meet the claims of God but that which is equal to God. He who in the beginning was with God, and was God; all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.
Just as the blood was first taken in, and sprinkled before God, and then afterward sins, all transferred to the people’s goat, and borne away, so, in our chapter, the three sevens — the bullocks, the rams, and the lambs — were first killed, and their blood sprinkled upon the altar, thus presented before God, and then hands laid on the sin-offering. What, then, is this distinction? and what its lesson to our souls? Surely that the death of Jesus has first met the infinite claims of God — His righteous, holy claims. It was taken into the holiest, figure of the heaven of heavens. Yes, the blood of Jesus must be shed, or how otherwise could God have dwelt in this sin-defiled universe? Precious words of Jesus, “I have glorified Thee.” O, the glory of the cross! He must needs suffer. “It is finished!” Dwell on this. God is glorified, so glorified by that one offering once, that Jesus, crowned with glory, is seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Three times seven fulfilled in this one offering.
Let us be clear about this point first. The resurrection of Jesus, by the glory of the Father, proves that God is perfectly, infinitely glorified — immutably, eternally so. For a moment sin had dishonored God; the death of Jesus has glorified Him through eternal ages. It was not that God only loved us, precious as that is; but He must be glorified, He must be righteous, in justifying us: But if the death of Jesus has met the greater, the first requirement, the infinite claims of the holiness of God: then is it not manifest that He has met the lesser, the sinner’s need? What, then, are those hands laid on the seven goats, killed to make atonement? And, mark well, this was for ALL Israel, not merely Judah, but the revolted tribes of Israel. This is important; the atonement is not merely for those who attain to a certain path of holiness, but for the whole church of God, wherever found for all believers who have passed from death unto life; though many such may be found in revolted tribes of men. Think, then, of the sins of the whole redeemed church of God, transferred to the holy, spotless Victim, who died, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God! What a sight! What a sin-offering! Did He fail? God is glorified, we ARE sanctified, by that one offering.
I now ask the closest attention to the present place and position of Christ. “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:1212But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12)). What do we see here? The One who glorified God on the cross, sat clown. The word, forever, means immutable continuity. Nothing can disturb that immutable rest He has, in the unclouded presence of God. But then these very same words are applied to every child of God, in Hebrews 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14): “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Mark, He hath done it by one offering. HE HATH perfected, in immutable continuity, them that are sanctified. Remember, all the sins of the whole redeemed family of God transferred to Him, borne by Him. And now, as to all charge of sins, perfected in immutability; the Holy Ghost bears witness, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” — no more. O, why should we doubt God? Why say, No, no, this is not true? I must stand and pray for mercy afar off. O, dwell my soul forever on the glory of the cross. Is it not remarkable that God should have restored to our souls in these days the very truths typically set forth in the history of Hezekiah?
But not only do we find the sin-offering, but also the burnt-offering; that is, not only have our sins been transferred to Christ Jesus, and borne by Him beneath the consuming judgment of God, and those sins put away, to be remembered no more, but also we are identified with Him in all the burnt-offering aspect of His death; a sweet savor to God.
And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began. Then “all the congregation worshiped.” All this continued until the burnt-offering was finished. Yes, there can be no real worship until the Holy Ghost reveals to the soul the immutability of the work of Jesus, and our immutable perfection by that one offering — complete identification with Him, in all the unchanging perfections of His person, for a sweet savor before God. Will this lift up the heart in spiritual pride? “The king, and all that were with him, bowed themselves, and worshiped.” We are thus brought to bow ourselves, and joy in God. “And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads, and worshiped.” Is it not even so? Instead of standing at a distance, uttering prayers of unbelief, have we not been brought to own again the presence of the Holy Ghost? Has He not brought before us the glory of the person of Christ, and boldness to enter the holiest by His precious blood? Yes, and instead of cries for mercy, has He not put songs of praise in our lips, and worship and gladness in our hearts?
(Continued and to be Continued).
The Coming and Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ
There are several different terms employed in the Scriptures in reference to the kingdom; we get, the kingdom of heaven; the kingdom of God; the kingdom of the Father; the kingdom of the Son of Man; the kingdom of His dear Son; and the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is also called the age or world to come.
The kingdom of heaven, or of the heavens, points to the rule of the heavens owned on earth; the term is only found in the Gospel of Matthew. Both John the Baptist and the Lord spoke of it as at hand, not come; that is, the particular aspect of it then presented. During the present interval it takes a secret form not perceived by nature. In Matthew 13 we get the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, showing the character of things here during His rejection. All who profess to bow to His name are in the kingdom. But when He is manifested in power and glory, He will gather out of His kingdom, by the instrumentality of His angels, all things that offend, and them which do iniquity (Matt. 13:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)), and establish it openly with rich and abundant blessing for a thousand years.
John the Baptist being imprisoned, Jesus came preaching, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:14-1514Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14‑15)). But He also said, “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you” (Matt. 12:2828But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (Matthew 12:28)). And again, “when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation” (margin, with outward show): “neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (margin, among you) (Luke 17:20-2120And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20‑21)).
The new birth is necessary both to see and enter the kingdom of God in the aspect spoken of in John 3:3-53Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:3‑5). All who received Christ by faith were born of God, and so also now (1 John 5:11Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (1 John 5:1)), and are in the kingdom of God. In another aspect, however, it embraces all who profess the name of Christ: this is what it is outwardly, as seen by men (Luke 13:18-2118Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Luke 13:18‑21)); the rule or authority of God owned or bowed to. It has a moral significance, as Romans 14:1717For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17), “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” It was connected with the presence of Christ when on earth, but with the presence of the Holy Ghost after He had left this world.
The kingdom of God is likened, in Luke 13:18-2118Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Luke 13:18‑21), to similar things as the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13, and includes the same period, though possibly commencing earlier. Although that which is said of the kingdom of heaven is also said of the kingdom of God, that which is spoken of the latter in many passages could not be said of the former.
At the close of the thousand years’ reign of Christ, He having given up the kingdom to the Father, God is all in all.
The kingdom of the Father designates the heavenly sphere of the kingdom when displayed.
The kingdom of His dear Son (or the Son of His love) is where the Christian is already brought. Delivered from the power of darkness, he is translated into His kingdom — no longer led captive by Satan in the darkness of nature, but under the rule of the Lord.
The everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ points out the continuance of the kingdom of Christ till the end of all things, in contrast with the overturning of all earthly kingdoms and powers.
In Luke 9:2727But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:27), the Lord said to His disciples, “I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.” This was fulfilled on the mount of transfiguration, when Moses and Elias, types of the raised and changed saints, appeared in glory, talking with Jesus, the Jewish disciples being on the mountain beholding them. It is a sample of the kingdom in display, when the heavenly saints shall appear with Christ in glory, and Israel shall be at the head of the nations on the earth.
(Continued and to be Continued).