Open—D. Bilisoly, H. Brinmkann, L. Judd
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17.
Ezekiel 17.
And verse 22.
Thus saith the Lord God, I will also take the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it. I will crop off from the top of his young twigs, a tender one.
And we'll plan it upon a high mountain and eminent.
In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it, and it shall bring forth bowels, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar, And under it shall dwell all afoul of every wing. In the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree.
Have dried up the green tree and have made the dry tree.
To flourish I the Lord.
Have spoken and have done it.
I believe that this passage, as well as so many other passages of Scripture as we've had before us, give that divine pattern of He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalted himself shall be humbled. I really can't tell much about this passage, but the thought came before me that the the Lord Jesus indeed.
Is that tender one?
He is that eminent one. This, of course, is looking onto a coming day of his glorification.
And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree.
Oh, what an abasement there will be. And all the trees which perhaps would figure the nations.
Will recognize that God reverses things that man would bring in as exaltation, and then he'll exalt the low tree. Who else is that but our blessed Lord Jesus Christ?
And we see that the.
And have dried up the green tree. Perhaps that's a figure of Israel.
And we see that the Lord Jesus Really.
This place, Israel, he's the one who was the true green tree, just as he is the true vine and just as he is the true servant, in contrast to Israeli unfaithfulness.
And he said at the time of the crucifixion, when human sympathies were going after him.
He said, If they have done these things unto a green tree, what shall be done unto the dry? And that was the true character of Israel.
Was as a dry tree.
But here we see that God will bring about a change in that nation that was nothing, as it were, but a dry tree. I have made the dry tree to flourish.
I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it, but they must go through a tremendous abasing before there can be that exaltation and that bringing into blessing. I, the Lord, have done it. We heard the other day in Revelation 21 He says it is done. Oh, I appreciate that statement of Scripture. And here we have it spoken of in that way. God can speak of those things that be not as though they be. I have done it. He will bring it all to pass. But first of all.
That low tree, the one who humbled himself.
Must be exalted, turned to Isaiah 53.
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Isaiah 53.
Just a part of the 1St.
2 verses Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness. And when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Here we see that.
The Lord Jesus came up into this world like a tender plant.
Like a root out of dry ground.
As our brother was giving us this little illustration in horticulture in farming.
As I viewed that little.
Sprout of a corn plant this morning.
I thought of the very tender way in which the Lord Jesus made his entry into this world.
And very plainly does it say he hath no form nor comeliness, no beauty, that we should desire him.
We see these pictures of the Lord Jesus and they always portray him as a very lovely person.
Almost effeminate. It's repulsive. But he really had no.
Beauty no natural attraction to the eye of man.
What a test that became for the nation.
But what I was thinking of here in connection with this passage?
Is how that the Lord Jesus?
Will return again and he will grow up in his place. There are 4 passages that I believe would relate to the four Gospels.
How responsible that made the nation. How responsible it makes all men to consider the references to himself in the Old Testament.
Turn over to the book of Jeremiah.
And in Jeremiah 23.
And in verse 5.
Behold the days come, saith the Lord.
That I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth, and so forth and so forth. Now if we were to consider one of the Gospels.
What would we refer to? What gospel comes before our minds? Is it not the Gospel of Matthew?
Is he not the one that meets all the qualifications?
And here we see that he will indeed in that coming day.
He will take the throne of David, and he will, as it were, sprout up and grow up in that place. He has the full right and authority to that throne. Isn't it a remarkable thing, how the word of God uses these expressions? And that word branch there, I believe in all places, perhaps could indicate that one who really came up, as he did right in the beginning, he entered this world.
As a man in Bethlehem, Manger, as a root out of dry ground, here he was. He came up in this nation that was dry, and we see him as it were coming up and fully identified as to who he was.
They had all of these scriptures that they could have referred to.
And indeed he met all the qualification of these scriptures, and so he will in that day take the throne of David. And the amazing thing is, beloved brethren, that he wants to associate us with himself in that Kingdom.
And we see how that the 12 got into discussions as who would be the greatest in the Kingdom.
All we need this ministry that.
Searches out our hearts and conscience, and the Lord Jesus had to be playing with them.
Over in Luke 22, perhaps you can hold your place in this area and take a notice at Luke 22.
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Here again we see how that.
The Lord is Speaking of His suffering. He institutes the Feast of Remembrance, that is the symbol of His death.
And he talks about his betrayal in verse 21.
And all that time.
There was a strike among them, verse 24. Who should be accounted the greatest?
And the Lord meets this whole problem in such a gentle way, the meekness and gentleness of Christ, how searching that is to our hearts. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercised lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you, let him be as a younger, and he that is chief as he.
That does serve, For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat. But I am among you, as he that serveth, ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my father hath appointed unto me, that she may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on Thrones judging the 12.
Tribes of Israel. I don't believe that would have been the way. We would have answered such ingratitude, such selfishness. But the Lord is so kind and so merciful, and he credited them with continuing with him. In his temptation. He assured them that they would sit on 12 Thrones. They would judge the 12 tribes of Israel. Oh brethren, you know, it says if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.
Sink down into our hearts. It is not the time now of reigning. It's the time when we've got to expect sufferings. We've got to expect the pressures of this scene. But God even uses that, as we were noticing in Psalm 4 that in pressure thou hast enlarged me. We need it, brother, and there's no getting away from it. We all need the pressures of this scene, and they are increasing. But we will reign with him one day.
Now turn back over to the book of Zechariah. And you know, just in this book of Zechariah, it astounds me how many references and mentions there are to the person of the Lord Jesus, so fully identified that they really had no excuse when he made his entry into this world. He met all the qualifications of these passages.
But over in Zechariah, chapter 3, here we have it again, and in verse 8 here now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee, for they are men, wondered at for behold, I will bring forth my servant, the branch. Now if we were to turn to a gospel, that would portray the Lord Jesus as the servant, the perfect servant.
We, of course, would turn to Mark's gospel.
Absolutely the perfect servant. Bring forth my servant. The branch You're the one that entered this world is a root out of dry ground as a tender plant. Did they not recognize him in all his humility and all his loneliness? The low tree, as it were. And if we went back to Psalm, Chapter one, the Psalm begins, and it identifies all the Psalms. It says. Blessed is the man.
That Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, But what does it say about him?
Well, I must read it to get it accurate.
It says and he.
Shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth his fruit in season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. He is the man of the psalms, the one that really glorified God, his Father, and he's going to bring forth his servant the branch. We've already considered that, and Isaiah has to a lot to say about that, but.
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It is his servant, the branch and.
Beloved brethren, here again, what a marvelous thing.
That he would associate us in his service and.
If any man serve him, him will my father honor what a privilege it is in any measure while we're still here in this world to serve him?
Let's not wait time is running out.
There's many, many ways in which we can honor and serve him in this scene, and those days are coming to an end. All we must admit that after we've done all, we must say we're unprofitable servants. It doesn't change his love toward us, but we're faulty at best. But what an example we have in that man who is the perfect servant. Now over here to Zechariah 6. I don't want to take too much time, but just turn right over to Zechariah 6 and you can see how this whole thing looms out.
Before us. And they should have recognized they should have put all these scriptures together.
Because in the original, I believe it's the same thought as that sprout or that tender plant, that root out of a dry ground that we have in Isaiah 53. In fact, Isaiah 53 is so pointed that they don't like to read it in the synagogues.
But here in Zechariah chapter 6 it says.
In verse 12, behold the man whose name is the branch, the man. What gospel does that take us to The very one that we were hearing of this afternoon? Luke's gospel that presents the Lord Jesus as that perfect man here in this scene, But a real man, an old brethren, how lovely and marvelous and wondrous that we will take our humanity.
To glory that he will bring to glory many sons as the captain of our salvation. And So what about this man whose name is the branch? It's a title, the one who would spring up, and who would grow up, as it were, in his place.
He shall build the temple. It's the same one. It's the very one who came in all that loneliness and humility of Isaiah 53 and other passages. And he will bear the glory, verse 13. As a man upon his throne, doesn't that thrill our hearts to consider that Blessed One in all his exultation and all the grace to consider that He would associate us with himself?
In that Kingdom.
In verse 11 That says take silver and gold and make crowns see the plural emphasis and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josdick the high priest. Joshua was simply just a type of the Lord Jesus in that priestly.
Kingdom and make crowns and put them on his head. Well in Revelation 19 we read upon his head where many crowns oh he all the glory belongs to him. But here as we read on it says in verse 14.
And crown shall be to heal him, and to Baija, and to Judea and Hen, the sons of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of our Lord.
Well, now here are some mentioned by name, but I believe that it it's in a day. It's in a time of exultation, having suffered with him, having shared in his reproach in his rejection. Here in this scene we see that he will have associates, they will be crowned, and here they are named. And so the Lord desires to honor. He desires to recognize and reward true faithfulness.
Unto him in that day. Now one more thought, go over to Isaiah once again.
To Isaiah chapter 4.
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Thank you very much.
Isaiah chapter 4 and verse 2.
In that day, what day are we living for? Oh beloved brethren, let's search our hearts. Let the Spirit of God and the Word of God search our hearts. What day are we living for? I trust that we're not just absorbed with man's day, as First Corinthians 4 in the margin renders it. No, no, no. Let's consider that glorious day and that day.
Shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful?
And glorious is that not John's gospel? Does that not that gospel? Does that not magnify the glories of that one whose name is the branch, the one who grows up, as it were, in his place, has full right and title to the throne, and who came by way of the Manger, and all the way through but way of the cross.
Beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel, and so forth. They will recognize him in that day but oh.
Dear brethren, we will indeed be associated with him. Let's finish out by turning over to John's Gospel.
And in chapter 14 or 15 we see very plainly, as we have enjoyed many times before, how we have a place of association, as it were. And he says very plainly here he says, I am the vine, and ye are the branches, and so forth.
And over in the 17th of John.
And verse 22. How astounding.
And the glory which thou gave us me I have given them.
That they may be one, even as we are one.
Old beloved brethren, may the Lord encourage our hearts to press on to accept.
The humility now to accept his rejection and to bear his reproach.
And to keep our vision on better things to come. And consider that one who so humbled himself, whom God has highly exalted.
Let's turn to Hebrews Chapter 2.
Verse 5 For unto the angels has he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
I made his team a little lower than the angels. Thou crownest him with glory and honor, and it set him over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For that he put all in subjection under him. He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus.
Who was made a little Lord and the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor.
That he by the grace of God, should taste death for everything. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things? In bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings, Well, the verse is that brother Don has brought before us. Speak of what we have read here in the second chapter. The day is going to come.
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When the world to come, that's an expression we find a couple of times in Hebrews, that's the Millennium is going to be put under a man and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that's especially in connection with his place that he has as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Son of David who will sit on David's throne. But how wonderful that we as Christians.
Have an even more wonderful view of that Blessed One, and that is that we see him in glory.
Seated there already?
We find that again and again in the book of Hebrews.
That he is seated there. He set himself down in chapter one.
Because of who he is, he's more than a man. He's got the son, and he set himself down after he had made purgation for sin. But we also see him there because of who he is as the high priest in virtue of his office seated there, And he is seated there in virtue of the work of atonement, that he has accomplished that perfect work. Nothing needs to be added to that anymore. It is complete, and he is sitting.
There, and Ian is also sitting there as the one that has finished the.
A path of faith.
He seated there. We have that in the 12Th chapter, and that is what you and I can be occupied with now, because.
We have a place there with him.
And really, this blessed one has gone there, and what we find in Hebrews to be the most wonderful side to consider is that He is the one that has entered into the holiest of all, has opened the way for us to enter there. And that's a blessed privilege that we already have now by faith.
Isn't that a wonderful thing to realize, that we do not come to a certain spot in a building that people call the sanctuary, that we have a heavenly sanctuary to which we can come by faith, the sanctuary of His presence where we can draw now? And that is especially of such an encouragement when we realize that our feet are still in the wilderness. You know we have sung at the beginning of this meeting.
That we're pilgrims in the wilderness and it is not an easy path.
It's a path connected with difficulties.
But where are our hearts? You know, It has been pointed out more than once by brethren.
When the children of Israel were in this wilderness, there were different conditions that could be found among them, that they were with their feet in the wilderness and with their hearts in Egypt.
I hope that wouldn't be the case with any of us. That was a danger that existed for them and manifested itself among them. But then they were also, perhaps with their feet in the wilderness and with their hearts in the wilderness. That's not a desirable condition of the heart for the believer today.
But what was desirable was that with their feet they were in the wilderness, and with their hearts they were in that promised land for us.
That's not canine. That is where the Lord Jesus is now and what joy it brings to the heart in the difficulties of the pathway.
And what is there to occupy us more? And what could be a better subject for us to be occupied with than the blessed Lord Jesus? And isn't this what the Spirit of God does by the writer of this epistle to the Hebrews? What is it that he occupies them with? And what is it that he uses or tries to use to wean them from the old order of things that at one time had been instituted of God and given them?
Of God. It's the occupation with the Blessed One, the Lord Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all that they typically had in the old order of things. And what was it that at first he takes up? He contrasts, He doesn't really compare. He contrasts things that they had in the old order of things.
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With the Lord Jesus and he shows how much better he is.
And how much more wonderful it is to have him than to have these types and shadows. And at first he speaks of the Angel in chapter one and in chapter 2.
Why the angels? Well, they had a very significant place in connection with what God had communicated to Israel. Let's turn to Galatians chapter 3.
This 19 Therefore then serveth the law, is what added was added, because of transgressions, till the seat should come, to whom the promise was made, and it was ordained by angels in the hand of the mediator. And next Chapter 7.
Who have that is, the Jews have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
But they have more than that and something much more wonderful, and that is they have the Apostle and high priest of our profession. You know, the Lord Jesus is the one that now is speaking and has been speaking to them and is speaking from heaven.
And how much more wonderful it is then to have such a glorious person speaking to us, communicating the heart and mind of God, that which is in the heart of God for us. It's God the Son who is speaking, much more wonderful than any Angel could be. And in Chapter 2 again, it is not angels to whom he has.
Subjected the world to come, that is, to a man.
The Lord Jesus Christ. But then in chapter three we have.
The Apostle and High Priest of our profession.
How wonderful.
To have the Lord Jesus taking the place of Moses.
Or taking the place of Aaron.
You know we have the Lord Jesus as our High Priest. What was true of those Hebrews is true of us, although we were never in the position that they occupied at one time. But how wonderful. We too have the Lord Jesus as our high Priest and how much we need Him beloved. You know, when we looked at the book of numbers, one thing that impresses itself.
Upon our minds and we read the Book of Numbers. Is that what they needed in order to get through the wilderness and to reach the promised land? What they needed more than anything is the service of Aaron the high priest. Well, that's only a picture of what the Lord Jesus is to us now.
You know, the Lord Jesus is our high priest. He's also our advocate. And why is the wilderness needed for Israel? Why is it needed for us?
Because we find out in the wilderness what is in our own heart.
We learn to know what we are, how imperfect and failing we are, and that we do need the services of our High Priest and our Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ.
You know the Lord Jesus was here walking this path.
But every trial and difficulties, difficulty that he faced only manifested that he was pure gold. There was nothing imperfect in him, but in our case I believe.
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What we realize through these trials and difficulties that God brings into our lives, that there are things in us that need to be.
Perched out.
And that's why God allows us to go through the difficulties connected with this pathway. Hopefully we come to realize what is in our hearts and that we allow the blessed Lord to rid us of that which is not according to His heart and mind for us. You know, this process of purifying.
Or bringing us into practical conformity to the Lord Jesus.
Is an ongoing process and it has been often compared to what the refiner does when he purifies gold. You know, here he puts the gold in the Crucible and then he applies the heed and what happens? The dross comes to the top.
And this is Kim Doyle. And this process continues until the refiner sees his own image in the gold and beloved. I believe the truth is that in all of us there is that which needs to be perched out, and the Lord allows the difficulties of the pathway to make manifest what is in our hearts. And so.
We find the high priesthood of the Lord Jesus to be such a help and aid to us. But how solemn it is that we find in the 4th chapter of Hebrews we find that there are solemn warnings given.
We have.
Joshua spoken of?
As the one who didn't bring them into rest.
You know the Lord Jesus takes the place of Joshua. You know for Israel. The rest was the Promised Land.
They didn't realize it when even Joshua let them into the Promised Land. But the Lord Jesus will lead them into their blessing for us. It's not the promised land for us that is the Father's house in the meantime.
Faith is tested.
Faith is tested and it is a necessary thing for our lives that the reality of faith might become manifest.
And what is so important to get a hold of is that there is labor connected with it for us.
Verse 8.
For if Jesus it should be Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day?
There remaineth therefore arrest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also has seized from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest.
Lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joint and Morrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his side, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to Do you know this verse 11.
Implies, does it not, that we have to labor?
Not for salvation.
But labor, that we enter into the rest and unbelief, is what made those in the Old Testament perish in the wilderness. Beloved, these are solemn thoughts. It doesn't undermine eternal security. But what it does teach very plainly, is that we ourselves have to labor. We can't do it without divine help.
And the help is being offered to us, but there are things that we have to do ourselves.
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Like we have in John's epistle.
Anyone that has to hope within himself of the Lord's coming purify himself even as he is pure. 2nd Corinthians 7.
I better read it so that I don't misquote it.
Verse One having therefore these promises, dearly beloved.
Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness.
Of the flesh.
And spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
You know, I believe.
Allow me, if you have heard me make that statement before, bear with me to repeat that statement.
I came across an article that was written more than 100 years ago.
And that appeared amongst those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus on the fear of God.
And the statement was made. Now listen. That was more than 100 years ago, and if that was needed, then it certainly is needed today, the writer said. The greatest fear that existed among the gathered Saints was that the fear of God was diminishing.
I believe that's a very good statement that we should allow to.
Touch a heart and our conscience the fear of God holiness.
Is closely connected with the fear of God, and the lack of practical holiness amongst the people of God in general is alarming.
It's alarming, beloved and we have to labor that we enter into that rest.
May to God, May God preserve us, may the Lord help us, because as I said, we need divine help, and the help is being offered. We have no strength in ourselves, but the Lord will able be able to help us. And how wonderful the word of God is, that which exposes that in us, which is not according to the mind and will of God.
So may we allow the word of God to penetrate our conscience, and let us be tender in our conscience as to the word of God, when it presents itself even as to what we might classify as little things. You know, if you're not faithful in debt which is leased, how can we expect to be faithful in debt which is great? The Lord can give us that tender conscience that is necessary.
And that we submit to anything that the word of God tells us as to what is expected of us who have been saved by grace.
You know, salvation is entirely the work of the Lord Jesus and of God. Salvation is of the Lord. But those who are saved, they have a responsibility to live. We all have beloved for the Lord and to manifest in our lives that we are real, that it is not just lip service that we give, but that a life is characterized.
By practical holiness and the fear of God influences us in our lives. But the high priesthood of Christ has such a large part in the book of Hebrews, and we find that the Lord Jesus was a man, and the one that is our High priest is the one that himself was here in this scene and that he was tested. He was tried.
He faced many of the same things that you and I face. And especially when it comes to weakness, you know weakness is not sin. You know the Lord Jesus was here in weakness. He was sitting by the well weary from the journey he thirsted, and so on. And all those trials that come our way, that we classify as weaknesses and that the Scripture classifieds as weaknesses, weaknesses.
The Lord Jesus enters into those things in a sympathetic way. Although he's now in heaven, he's a man there and he hasn't forgotten what it is like to be in this world and to endure these various sufferings. He has not forgotten what it is like to be.
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Ridiculed.
To be hated and to be abused.
By sinful men.
And he has not forgotten what it is like that those who labor for the Lord Jesus might be rewarded.
Different than what you should expect instead of love, no reward, and sometimes even hatred. The Lord Jesus understands that and He's able to succor us.
And give us comfort and aid in these difficulties connected with the pathway. You know, the disappointments that he had, You know, Can you imagine the Lord Jesus labored here as faithfully as none of us can ever expect to labor.
But he says he had labored for not.
You know how many responded, really, to his perfect labor of law when he was here? Very few. There were individuals here and there, but the nation as a whole cast him out. They wouldn't have him.
You know, the Gentiles didn't know him, his own didn't receive him.
These disappointments that we experience in our efforts, our feeble efforts for the Lord and our service, are far from imperfect, and perhaps sometimes to the disappointments and failures that we realize in connecting with those we labor, whether it is because of our imperfect labor. But the Lord Jesus nevertheless knows what it is like to be disappointed sometimes feel you have wasted.
Some efforts, they seem as if they are wasted, but the Lord will take notice of all that is done for him and will in due time reward, and he can comfort and encourage us in the midst of disappointments, Mr. Darby once said.
Why is it that all his pets so bad, you know, expected great things from they showed such promise and he had really expected much of them. And then there was the disappointed disappointing they went off. Well, the Lord knows what that is like and the Lord can comfort and encourage his own and.
Lord Jesus could never be tested with sin.
We do get tested with sin. You know, the Lord Jesus was a holy human being and he was tested in everything like us, sin apart. Well, but.
Weaknesses. Sometimes, beloved brethren the enemy might use to lead us into sin. That's why it is so important that the Lord Jesus aids us and helps us when it comes to weaknesses, so that we do not dishonor Him and even if we do fail.
As we do at times, we have him at the advocate that will labor with us so that we be restored again to happy communion and fellowship.
With him.
But what is such an encouragement in the book of Hebrews is to see that the Lord Jesus is not only our High Priest in connection with our wilderness journey and the trials and difficulties of the pathway in Chapter 7. Or is it 8 He's spoken of as the minister of the sanctuary?
And.
In which way is he the minister of the sanctuary? We read in chapter 8, verse one? Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum we have such an high priest, who is said on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched. And not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices.
Therefore it is of necessity that this man have something also to offer. This man is the Lord Jesus, the minister of the sanctuary. Now what does he offer?
He doesn't bring new sacrifices. He has given himself as that one and perfect sacrifice. But beloved, that which we bring in imperfection goes through the hands of our high priest, who is the minister of the sanctuary, and he presents it perfectly to God.
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You know, young people sometimes might be afraid of participating because they might be afraid.
That they might make a statement and the breaking of Brett mating, that might not be quiet according to truth and they're afraid of it. Don't be afraid of it. Nothing will ever get there that is not according to the mind of God. And it goes through the Lord Jesus and he is at worst skins off that which is not according to God and presents that which we feebly bring perfectly to God. Let's prove this by the word of God.
Turn to Peter.
I mean prove that that which he presents is really that which we bring in our feebleness.
First Peter 2.
Verse 5.
You know, he had been Speaking of us being living stones.
In the house.
Where he's the cornerstone.
And then we have ye also verse five, as living stones are built up, the spiritual house, the holy priesthood, to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. You see, it goes through him, and he makes it acceptable to God. Now we should certainly be exercised that we grow in understanding and spiritual intelligence.
So that we can bring things accurately according to scriptural truth, and also I think we should be exercised that we increase in spiritual wealth. You know, the Jew could bring a pigeon or he could bring a bullet and the pigeon spoke to God of that perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus as well as the bullet. But if a Jew was poor and could only bring a pigeon.
That was acceptable to God because it spoke to him of the Lord, Lord Jesus of his Son and the sacrifice he would bring. But wouldn't it be desirable that an isolate could bring more? I'm sure many isolate was saddened that he couldn't bring more to Jehovah than pigeons.
Well, shouldn't we have the desire, beloved brethren, that we would grow wealthy in the things of God, so that we can bring to him more than that which would answer to a pigeon? And isn't it sad sometimes, beloved brethren, that our Lord's day mourning?
At the breaking of bread meeting there is so little participation.
And there might be quite a number of brethren.
In a local assembly, but very few participate long pauses between the participation. Do we really realize, beloved, this is one thing that we can do for the Lord Jesus and for God the Father, That we can bring worship, that we can bring to God. That which we have come to see and appreciate of the work of the Lord Jesus and bring that to God. And what a comfort it is.
That we have the Lord Jesus at our side as the minister of the sanctuary to help us in our feebleness.
Well, we have heard of the.
Priest The King Priest upon the throne in Zechariah. Melchizedek is a picture of that. In the Old Testament he was priest of the Most High God and king of Salem and King of Righteousness.
And we find that the Lord Jesus in that coming day will manifest his Melchizedek character as priest, but in that way he will not enter into the earthly sanctuary that will be set up in Jerusalem.
What we do find with Melchizedek when he comes to bless Abraham and he brings.
Wine and brings bread. It speaks of communion, of fellowship in joy in that coming day. It is not that he in any way indicates that he will function as a priest in the character of Aaron on earth, or the sons of Aaron connection with an earthly sanctuary. He cannot be a priest on earth.
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But the Lord Jesus is priest according to the order of Melchizedek. But what he presently fulfilled, beloved brethren, is not what we have in Zechariah.
What he presently fulfills is that of which errant priesthood is a type. And this is such a good thing to get a hold of. But there is another most beautiful fact brought out that.
This priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, is our without beginning, without end. Now Tessa deck is like unto the Son of God. You see, our High Priest is not just a man that has been here in this scene. He is the Son of God who has no beginning, no ending, and he will be forever our Priest, forever. No change of priesthood will ever occur.
Can you imagine what it must have been like for a Hebrew?
Who had the need of priestly service. And he comes to be helped by the high priest, and then he finds out the priest has just died.
Well, that's never the case. Never going to be the case with our priest. He ever lived to make intercession. We can always come to him. And I believe for all eternity he will be our priest. He will be at our side not to help us in weakness. We won't have any weakness up there, but he will help us in connection with the sanctuary. But then the Lord Jesus is that perfect sacrifice.
By one offering he has perfected forever.
The Sanctified. What a statement of Scripture that is. You know that the NIV translates that.
By one offering he has perfected forever them that are to be sanctified, changing the sense of a positional truth to be communicated, making it a practical sanctification, well, the work of the Lord Jesus.
Has sanctified us, given us a perfect standing before God, and in chapter two we read.
That the sanctifier and the sanctified are all of one. What does that mean, one in sanctification? I believe we can say, based on that scripture that we stand before God in perfect holiness through the work of the Lord Jesus.
Tremendous truth to get ahold of. But if that is positionally true of us, beloved, should we not be exercised that there also be practical holiness in our lives, such as what we have read in Two Corinthians 7, verse one? You know there are various scriptures that speak very definitely of practical holiness. First Thessalonians 4 is another passage now at least three or four such scriptures that speak of practical holiness. But how wonderful.
That we get a hold of what is true of us positionally and how we stand before God through the work of the Lord Jesus.
And then we have a heavenly sanctuary.
Which is not at all on earth, in a way, instead understood in Christendom. Where is that understood in Christendom? But how responsible we are when we understand that our sanctuary is a heavenly sanctuary that by faith we enter there where he already is?
You know, when we come together like this morning in the breaking of bread by faith we enter into the sanctuary of God's presence. It's a solemn thing. But how serious it would be if we come there with sin upon our conscience, unjust sin. No wonder that we have in Corinthians that many.
Have a sick and some had fallen asleep because of the disregard.
Of the Holy Presence, where they entered into the Presence of God with under sin upon their conscience.
Well, we have the New Covenant mentioned in Hebrews, which is a covenant that God is going to be establishing with both the houses of Israel. We are not in a covenant relationship, but we come under the blessings of the new covenant. The blood of the new covenant has been shared and it is an altogether different approach from what the old covenant was like the first covenant.
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Was all dependent on man's faithfulness. But the blood of the New covenant opens the way for God to bless in a sovereign way. And just like what he will do for Israel in the coming day, that he will bless them in an unconditional sovereign way. So God is blessing us now. The blood that will be the basis for the new covenant with Israel is the blood and the bases for God to deal with us.
In Sovereign Grace, how wonderful it is, but we have the pathway.
Of faith in Chapter 11. And you know we have faith presented in various aspects, and this is something that we have to realize that faith is what is to be demonstrated by us.
In our lives, you know they did not only by faith look to that coming reign of glory. Faith was also tested. They did not always.
Have the answers and deliverance in their circumstances and the Old Testament Saints that are referred to in this 11Th chapter.
Faith was manifested in various circumstances and difficulties that the Saints of God went through, and what a glory that brings to God that faith clings to him no matter what the condition and circumstances are through which God.
Makes us.
Has but one that excels all in that path of faith is the Lord Jesus. And we look to him, you know, we take great encouragement by looking at other examples that we see round about where God enables his own.
To go on faithfully for the Lord in the midst of difficult circumstances, but.
How much more wonderful it is to the Lord Jesus, because when we look at our fellow believers.
Sometimes we find imperfections, as we do see in the Old Testament Saints, although none of the imperfections are mentioned here. Only their faith is mentioned. You know, God looks at that which was of himself in their life now that they are no longer in this scene. And that's what God in Greece will do with us, you know, all our failures, you know, are going to be, as it were, forgotten and that which is for himself.
Will remain and will be acknowledged.
But then we also have the chastisement in Chapter 12.
You know that God deals with us as with children. You know, child training is that which is needed for every one of us.
You know, God sometimes has a hard time to correct us and to bring us in line with His thoughts and will. Isn't it true? We have to confess that, and that's why chastisements are necessary.
And if we wouldn't be experiencing anything like that, the writer says, then we're ********. Then we're not really children. But we don't want to be that, do we? We want to have grace from God to bow under that which, in his wisdom, he brings our way.
In order that we might be partakers of His Holiness. That's why chastisement is so much needed. And we love that. That's needed for all of us.
All of us need discipline, chastisement, child training to correct us, to bring us into line with God's thoughts. But at the end of the book of Hebrews, we.
See that after the writer had presented this wonderful person and shown them how much better he was compared to all that they had in the Old Testament, that which was only a type of this blessed one now, he says.
Leave. Leave the old order of things connected with the camp. You know the Lord Jesus was cast out by this religious system and.
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Therefore the Hebrew believers should have no longer any part with that which had tested test out the Lord Jesus, and they should go unto Him outside the camp bearing His reproach.
You know, I was told that one of the Lords servants went to a meeting in the Northwest. That is no longer.
With us that went off and he was told one thing that he couldn't speak about was the camp.
There was another point that he wasn't permitted to speak about, but the camp, and I don't remember that now, but the camp was one of the points.
Well, why is it important that we understand what the camp is? Because Christendom has really taken up the principles of the camp, that which was characteristic of the Jewish system. Clergy is one of the.
Very evident.
Things that all systems have taken up the clergy system, not all systems have all the principles of the camp, but.
The principles of the camp are in all systems.
And so.
That's why the book of Hebrews is such a help for us.
We have to turn our back to anything that has been introduced into the Christian profession that has its origin in Judaism and therefore this admonition we go on to him outside. He is not there. He's not in the system that man has set up copying the Jewish system. He's not there.
It's not a judgmental statement. It's a statement that scripture makes that the Lord Jesus is cast out.
What is the most serious sin in the clergy system is that the Lord Jesus doesn't have his place as head, and the Spirit of God is not sovereign to guide and to use whomsoever he will. So we go unto him outside of this He is not there, so why should we be there? We go unto him outside the camp, and let me suggest that we have an altar of which they have no right to eat, that serves the Tabernacle.
Is a position that is made clear here in the book of Hebrews. That was not the position. Before the book of Hebrews was written, there were obviously those who still connected themselves with the Temple. Think of Paul when he came to Jerusalem and he was advised to take these.
And I think it's in the 21St chapter, isn't it, That take these men that needed to be cleansed had a vow, and he was encouraged that he would join them and that he would go through the cleansing procedures with them, which involved sacrifices the Lord didn't allow him.
To go that far he stopped his servant, but he and now we have the statement that they had served the Tabernacle have no right to eat of the altar of which we partake. I believe that should be a principle for us that would help us as to who has arrived to be at the Lord's table.
You know the test is will we draw withdraw from iniquity? No, even if he in First Corinthians 10.
There you have two tables. You have the table of demons, and you have the Lord's table. Now while we do not ever speak of table set up by men like our fellow believers who have left us.
We do not speak of them as the demons table, but I believe what the principle taught in First Corinthians 10 is you cannot be at 2 opposing tables at the same time.
You know if you are at a table that opposes the truth of the Lords table.
Then your conscience should be exercised to leave that before you come to partake at the Lord's table well, a wonderful that we go on to him.
Outside the camp. And here we have another verse that shows what he is presenting as the minister of the sanctuary in verse 15. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.
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But to do good and to communicate, forget not, for without sacrifices God is well pleased. So we have that brought together, which has to do with bringing things to God and then also at the same time communicating things that will help others in need. So that's one of the scriptures that justifies our remembering the Lord and having a collection.
At the same time, so that the needs of the servants of the Lord, the needs of the work of the Lord, and also of the needy ones among God's people be met. But I believe this would even go further than just meeting the needs of God's people. You know, I believe if a neighbor next door to the meeting hall would have a calamity in the family, there would be nothing wrong for the assembly to communicate.
And meet a need there as well as us as individuals. But how wonderful. We have these instructions in this epistle. And the Lord Jesus, if we enter into the truth of this epistle, becomes everything. He is everything, and we don't need anything other than him. When you look at that which God's people had in the past, we don't need that anymore. We have everything that we need.
In that wonderful person.
The Lord Jesus Christ, beloved, we need to be attached to him. We need to be drawn to him. I hope there's none in this room. That is where he is because of brethren, because you deserve to be disappointed. And you will be disappointed if you are there because of brethren, but if you are where you are because of him.
You will not be disappointed. He will never disappoint you, you know.
Cease for man whose breath is in his nostrils.
Attachment to him gives stability to the Christian pathway. You know, we have to follow him. And even if Paul tells us that we should follow him, he says as he followed Christ. You know, so may the Lord help us that we are drawn closer to him, that he might become more precious to us, that he might become our all.
I'd like to turn to the song of Solemn and just for a moment.
Thomas Solomon, Chapter 2.
And verse 14.
Oh, my God, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs. Let me see thy countenance. Let me hear thy voice.
For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Now I might turn to Luke chapter 22.
Verse 14.
And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the 12 apostles with him. And he said unto them with desire.
I have desired, or the margin says, I have heartily desired, to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not anymore eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God shall come.
When he took the, took Brian, and gave thanks, and break it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying this cup.
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Is the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you?
In the Song of Solomon.
We have a thought brought before us.
The lights, the heart of our Savior to see us here.
Particularly when we come together to remember the Lord and His death, it's a delight of His heart to see us there and to hear our voice.
And as was mentioned there in the end of Hebrew, surely we could all lift our voices in praise and Thanksgiving.
And you said this, do in remembrance of me.
He heartily desired.
To eat this Passover with His disciples. And it's here that He gives us that remembrance of Himself.
Just a verse I trust I don't miss Apply it in First Corinthians Chapter 7.
Verse 33.
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There's a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit, but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
So much the thought of the things of the world, but the wife would care how she might please her husband.
Love that we're the bride of Christ. Shouldn't we seek to do that which would bring?
Joy to his heart, he said. This do in remembrance of me.
This new and remembrance of me, it brings joy to his heart to see us here to and for him to hear our voice. No one other thought too suggested by what our brother just been saying, might turn back to Exodus.
Let's turn first to Deuteronomy chapter 26.
You haven't got time to read it.
But.
Uh.
Verse 3 And thou shalt go under the priest, It shall be in those days.
And verse four. And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready comparison with my father.
Verse 10.
Now the first line. And he has brought us into this place and have given us this line, even the line, the flowers with milk and honey.
And now, behold, I have brought the first fruits of the land which thou Lord has given me, and thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God. What did they bring?
About simply that with which God had blessed them through the preceding time, and surely the Lord would have us to bring that with which he is blessed.
Through the preceding week.
All we might bring joy to his heart and one more verse in Exodus.
28.
Our brother mentioned.
Being hesitant about speaking.
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And I would just say to if one reads this.
We got a perfect balance in Scripture, and if we want the balance, we can turn to 1St Corinthians 14.
There's an order there and a balance we need to follow and each one can turn to it for themselves, but next to this?
28.
And verse 36.
Now shall make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signal holiness to the Lord. And thou shall put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the miter. On the forefront of the miter it shall be, and it shall be upon Aaron's forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts.
And this shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
All the loves, our blessed Lord and Savior, our great High Priest.
He is the one, He is our Aaron. And just think, Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy thing which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts. It shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
In the book of Judges we find an offering was brought to the Lord.
Angel came, I believe Mr. Manoa, Samson's father, and he brought out this offering.
And he brought it out, the flesh unleavened cakes, I think it was.
And he had the broth in a pot.
And the Angel said, Pour out the broth, lay the flesh and the cakes on this rock he touched the flesh and the cakes, and fire rose up and consumed them. Well, that which was not acceptable was ******. And the Lord accepted that which was acceptable in his sight. Well, I just mentioned this particularly for you, dear younger ones. Oh, Lord, Delight, we bring joy to his heart.
For us to be here.
Be gathered by the Spirit of God around the purse of Christ to remember him and his death.
Each time we do it, we bring joy to His heart. He desires to see our countenance. He desires to hear our voice.
Thy voice is sweet. Thy countenance is lovely. So may we seek dear ones as we come together to bring joy to his heart. We're immeasurably blessed ourselves. God will be no man's daughter. We'll go away.
Much the gainer, but at the same time let us bring joy to his heart, the one who has so loved us and given himself for us.
62.