Open
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.
72 in the back of the book.
Just turns on the ace that genesis for a few moments.
Genesis 8.
Beginning at bar 6.
And it came to pass at the end of 40 days.
That Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.
And he fell for the Raven, which went forth to and fro until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
Also, he sent forth a dove from him.
To see if the waters were abated.
From off the face of the ground.
But the dove found no rest.
For the sole of her foot.
And she returned unto him into the ark.
For the waters were on the face of the whole earth.
Then he put forth his hand and took her.
And called her in unto him into the ark.
And he stayed at the other seven days.
And again he sent forth a dove out of the arm.
And the dog came into him in the evening.
And no, in her mouth.
Was an olive leaf blocked off?
So no one knew.
That the waters were abated.
From all the earth.
A brother mentioned this morning in his prayer.
In giving thanks for the load.
We thank the Lord that He had exhausted all the judgment.
Of a holy God against sin on our behalf.
And that brought this scripture to my mind very forcibly.
And the few verses in the 9th chapter.
Here we have.
Nor sending Afghanistan from the off. There isn't time to go into all the details, but we know the history of this chapter very well.
The earth was covered with waters of judgment.
And Noah sent this little dog out.
First time it came back and found no rest for the sole of its foot, so it returned to him in the arm. After seven days, Noah sent the dove out once more.
This time the dove returns with an olive leaf blocked off.
In her mouth.
It does not say that the dove found the olive leaf floating on top of the waters.
No, but it's paying back with an olive leaf clocked off.
So this little dove had found a place. Now to rest.
And it found a green debris.
In the midst of that scene of death and desolation, there was 1 green tree.
All how that speaks so out of Christ.
The blessed Lord said himself in Luke 23 if they do these things in a green tree.
00:05:00
What shall be done in the dry?
So I do believe that green tree speaks of Christ.
And that green tree had been covered with the waters of judgment.
As not our blessed Lord passed through the waters of judgment.
Is he not the green tree? And Kim was light? Everybody else was dead in trespassing sins.
In him was life.
And as evidence that the dove had seen and found this green tree, it brings back the leaf to prove it.
And as I said before, that tree had been covered with the waters of judgment.
And all, beloved, when we think of that, that green tree which speaks of Christ.
Who could say all thy waves and billows rolled over me?
And we're reminded this morning that that blessed, precious Savior.
Has exhausted all the judgment of a holy God against sin.
Is born all the righteous indignation of a holy God there in the cross of Calvary?
And all that judgment you and I deserve was born by him.
Beloved, if this does not produce in your heart and mine eternal praise, what will?
To know that there was 1. The eternal Son of God was ready and willing to take our place and to bear that awful judgment which we deserve.
There on the cross of Calvary, under the hand of a holy God.
And so we find here the little dove in bringing back this olive leaf. Plucked off, not picked up, plucked off.
Would witness, I believe to us that the judgment was passed.
Yes, the judgment was passed. Now the green tree can be seen.
And the waters for then passing away.
And so if the little dove witness that the judgment was passed, how precious to see in the next chapter.
That the bone, the clouds. Witness the fact that there is no more to come.
Or how precious.
For the believer, how true this is, the judgment is passed in him who bought us with his blood, and there's no more to come for the believer.
And it's only through the precious person and work of Christ of Calvary.
Let me just read a few verses in the 9th chapter.
Verse 9 And I behold, I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, of the foul of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth.
With you from all that go out of the ark to every beast of the earth.
And I will establish my covenant with you.
Neither shall all flesh be cut off anymore.
By the waters of a flood.
Neither shall there be any more.
Neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the Earth.
And God said this is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you.
Called perpetual generations.
I do set my bow in the clouds.
And it shall be for October of a covenant between me and the earth.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.
And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh.
And the waters shall no more.
Become a flood to destroy all flesh.
And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it.
Isn't that precious?
To know that when you and I looking in that beautiful rainbow, the eye of God is looking upon it too. He says, I will look upon it and remember my covenant with you. How wonderful and precious to remind us, shall we say, that for the believer there is no judgment whatever?
But, dear friend, if there is an unbeliever here this afternoon, remember that there is a judgment coming.
00:10:00
And that judgment will be executed upon you unless you turn to Christ and receive Him as your Savior.
Yes, there is a judgment coming, but here we have the wonderful promise from God to man that He will never destroy the earth with a flood again.
So can we not gather from these verses, from the little dove bringing back that leap, that leaf from the trees, that green olive leaf, Can we not gather from that that the dove witnesses to the facts, that the judgment is passed, proof of it? There's a green olive leaf. I found a tree. Was it covered with the waters? No, the waters had receded.
And so the dove declares that the judgment is passed on the bow, and the clouds declare there's no more to come. Oh, thank the Lord, beloved, but there's no judgment for the believer.
No, it was born by Christ, the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary, in order that you and I might never, never come under the judgment of God for our sins.
All how thankful we should be, what joy should bring to our hearts to read simple, precious portions like this.
To know that for the believer, and I repeat for the believer only, there is no judgment. There is therefore now no judgment to them which are in Christ Jesus. Dear young people, are you in Christ Jesus? If not, you are in your sins. And remember there is a judgment coming.
The law does not go and destroy the earth with a flood again, but he's coming to judge the world in righteousness. Yes, God is going to judge this world in righteousness by that man, the green tree, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is going to judge this world by and through him. Do you know him as your Savior? If not, my dear friend, now is the time. Do not put it off for another moment because you are exposed to the judgment of God. If you're in your sins, but all thank God for we who know the Lord Jesus Christ, we can revel in the fact the truth of these precious verses 1 declares that judgment is passed the other no more to come.
No, the judgment of God will never fall upon the believer, but it will upon the Christ rejector.
And I love to think of that that when I see the bow in the clouds.
The eye of God is looking upon it too. And he says, And when I look upon it, I'll remember. I'll remember my covenant with you, how precious these things are. Well, I do not wish to take up any more time.
But the mention of that in my brother's prayer brought these scriptures before me this morning, very importantly.
We look rather than.
3 portions, first of all in Genesis.
Chapter.
3.
And verse 8.
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
And so we turn over to the 18th chapter of Genesis.
The 18th chapter of Genesis and the first verse.
And the Lord appeared unto him of Abraham in the plains of Mamre.
And he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day, and he lifted up his eyes and looked and lulled. Three men stood by him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in my sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servants. Let a little water, I pray thee, be fetched, and wash your feet.
And rest yourselves under the trees, and I will fetch your morsel of bread and comfort to your hearts. After that ye shall pass on, for therefore are you come to your servants. And they said, So do as thou hast said.
00:15:09
And the eighth verse. And he took butter and milk, and the cap which he had dressed, and set it before them, And he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy white? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, behold. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee, according to the time of life. And lo, Sarah, thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door.
Which was behind him.
The 16th verse. And the man rolls up from thence, and look towards Sodom. And Abraham went out to them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him, For I know him, that he will command his children in his household after him.
And they shall keep the way of the Lord.
To do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham's that which he has spoken of him.
The 23rd verse And Abraham grew near and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Her adventure there be 50 righteous within the city. Wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the 50 righteous that are there in that, that be far from thee to do after this manner to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be out of the wicked.
That be far from thee, shall not the judge of all the earth? Do write now the next chapter.
And there came two angels to Sodom at even, and lots that in the gate of Sodom, and Lots seeing them, rolls up to meet them. And he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, Behold, now, my Lords turning, and I pray you into thy servants house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early and go on your ways. And they said, Nay.
But we will abide in the street all night.
And he pressed upon them greatly, and they turned it unto him, and entered into his house. And he made them a feast, and it baked unleavened bread. And they did eat. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round about.
House round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter.
Well, in reading these three portions I was thinking of three different instances here. In the first instance we have the Lord coming in the cool of the day and talking to Adam and Eve. In the second instance we find the Lord with two angels coming to Abraham's 10th door in the heat of the day. And in the last instance we have those two angels coming to Lot in the even.
And I was thinking how they bring before us, but we might say as three different positions, shall I say, in the case of Adam we see one who had sinned, who did not know redemption, and he hid from the Lord. In the case of Abraham we find one who knew the Lord. And so when the Lord came to him, when he rose up to meet him, Abraham, Adam rather hid, but we find Abraham.
Rising up to meet the Lord and communing with Him.
But in the case of Lot, we find the true believer in a wrong position unhappy.
And so when those two angels came, there was a state of uneasiness. It's true that he wanted them to come into his house, but we can see the lack of ease as we look at it carefully. We'll notice many things that shall. There's a difference between the state of soul of Abraham and the state of soul of lots. And so perhaps we could say in this meeting this afternoon.
There may be some who are still in the condition that is set before us here about Adam. Adam had sinned. He and his wife had partaken of that fruit that God had forbidden, and they were guilty. And now the Lord comes down in the cool of the day. Perhaps we might say the very best part of the day, the cool of the day, the time when we might say a person would ordinarily look for visitors.
00:20:13
Because in each one of these instances, we have visitors coming, visitors coming to the home. Well in the cool of the day, perhaps some, some of us, if we're going to visit, we say, well, how the day is over now let's go and visit so and so and, and we expect and welcome. And how wonderfully God had provided for Adam and Eve. He had given them everything that was possible for him to give and love for their blessing and for their happiness.
And yet when he comes down in the pool of the day, the best part of the day these two creatures have who have been so blessed, and they hid from him. What a picture, I say, of the natural heart, your heart and mind by nature. And if there's any one here who's unsaved.
I know that it's your position too. No matter how much God has displayed himself in grace, and He has displayed himself in the most marvelous and wonderful way in His goodness, and yet are you still hiding from him? Is it because you're like Adam and Eve? They were physically naked, but perhaps you, if I'm saved, you are physically.
Not physically, spiritually naked before him.
That is still in your sins.
Having no role of righteousness, unable to stand before him, and fearing him because of your guilt.
What a sad thing. And so all we find is the story goes on that.
Adam couldn't hold any sweet communion with God. No, instead of this, the sense of his guilt pressed upon his conscience. And so there was no happy communion with God. And more than that, could he intercede for others as Abraham did?
Oh, no. He blames his wife. He blames the serpent. He seeks someone else to put the blame upon for his sad conditions, and perhaps is an unsaved one here, and you're doing just that. Perhaps you're blaming the devil for your condition. Perhaps you're blaming some other person who has stumbled you or hurt you or done some wrong to you, and you're blaming them. Well, that was the condition in which Adam was found here.
And yet how lovely it is to see at the same time.
God's grace reaching out in spite of Adam's sin Adam couldn't hold communion with God. Adam couldn't intercede for anyone. Adam was unhappy and uneasy in the presence of God, but all how wonderful at such a time God brings a message of blessing to Adam. He says in his hearing that there would be.
That one who would come the promised sea.
Who would, who would bruise the serpent's head? And so on the miserable condition in which Adam and Eve were found, there was a promise of a Redeemer and all. I can tell you more. The Redeemer has come and that our brother has just brought before us. He's born all the judgment. The work is done now, and you can have him as your savior. You don't need to hide from Him any longer. You can hide in Him.
You can find your place as our brother brought before us in him. Oh, how lovely. There is now, therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. And so in this first instance, we see the Lord walking in the garden, the cool of the day, this beautiful place that had been made for man and man so abundantly blessed, but now because he's guilty, hiding from God in this very best part of the day.
But now, isn't it lovely here when we come to this next instance in the 18th chapter of Genesis?
Here we find.
Abraham and Sarah and.
These three men come to them in the heat of the day. What would this remind us of? The heat of the day? Well, perhaps some of us feel the heat of the day, so to speak. But the world this is in which we live, a world that has been spoiled by sin, a world where we see around us so much of the sad results of sin. And there isn't a person here, young and old, but we will feel the pressure of circumstances.
In these days in which we live, it just seems as if, as if there's pressure put upon us in every hand. And the Lord spoke about a persons work being during the day. But it seems now that the pressure is on our children, it's on our homes, it's everywhere until there's so little spare time. It's the heat of the day isn't it? But here we find in the very heat of the day, these three men came along.
00:25:29
And Abraham, it says, when he saw these three men, he rose up and went to meet them, because he recognized that of those three men, there was one whom he could address as my Lord. Yes, and he could address 1/2 of them are angels, but one he could address as my Lord. Yes, the Lord had come to visit Abraham.
And Sarah in the heat of the day.
All He has come to visit us, brethren, in the heat of the day, and no matter how much we have felt the pressure of life and the circumstances, why He has come to visit us, the whole communion. Are we going to rise up to meet Him? Are we going to enjoy this communion which He desires to have with us?
All it's true, there had been failure in Abraham's life. We know the sad case about Hagar Ishmael. We know how Abraham had previously gone down into Egypt, how he had told a lie about his wife. All remembrance of all that must impress home upon the mind of Abraham.
How? Why didn't he hide from this one who came to visit him? All he had learned to know that one in grace he had learned to know through what goes on just in the chapter before of the one who passed between the pieces, the one who has who grace accomplished redemption for us. All this is set before us and figure. And though Abraham, in spite of his own failure, had learned to still have confidence.
In the Lord, and perhaps there is not only the pressure of circumstances, but perhaps there is a sense in your soul and mind that we fail, that there are things that we might say, well, I can't hold communion with the Lord because my life has been a failure. Oh, he's coming.
He wants to have communion with you just the same. He wants to talk to you and you with him. Are you going to rise to meet him? Are you going to enjoy, in the heat of the day this week, communion with him? And then perhaps we might say there was more than this. There was lots of sad conduct. A law had turned his back and gone down towards Sodom. And more than that, Abraham had gone after.
Lawton had rescued him.
And the law had turned back and gone to live and saw him again. So he not only had his own failure, but he had the sad sense that the only other person that he could have any kind of communion with as a man of faith had disappointed him.
All that the Lord hadn't disappointed him, the Lord was the same. And rather, isn't it lovely we failed? Perhaps someone else has disappointed us and grieved us. But there's one a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. There's one who's come in but all these things, and he is as a word, come to our camp door. Abraham was a Pilgrim and a stranger you and I saw to speak.
Up to the camp dwellers too. So about this Paul the by his occupation.
He was a pet maker.
And so this is the position, whether in the old or whether in the news, that we ought to occupy here in this world, that is, that we're only pilgrims and strangers here. But all, blessed be his name, we can hold communion with the Lord.
And it says that Abraham saw them and he ran to meet them from the pet door and bowed himself to the ground and said, My Lord, I call attention to this because you'll notice when the two men, which were just the angels came to Lot in Sodom, he addresses them in the plural and calls them my Lords, whereas Abraham.
All three people came to his tent door. He uses the singular and only addresses one of them as my Lord. Yes, he recognized.
There was One who was the Lord. He rammed me him, He bowed himself before Him. And this is our place surely to bow before the One whom we acknowledge is our Lord. All what reverence, what honor is due to Him, how He is abound His presence, how we need to take the low place before Him, and the low place is always the place of blessing. We know that Mary is not a Jesus faith and heard His words.
00:30:31
Martha wanted to rob her of that, but the Lord said that Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her, and you and I shall. Isn't that good part? Have we, so to speak, taken our place in his feet? Well, that's what. That's what Abraham did here.
And he said, my Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray from thy servants. Doesn't this remind you of the tune, the road to a mass, how they constrained the Lord and said to abide with us all? He said, pass not away. And perhaps as we attend these three days meetings and enjoy this season of fellowship, the same thought comes in our hearts. Pass not away, I prayed he from my servant, and he doesn't want to.
He wants us to have communion when the time came that.
The Lord and these two angels must leave. We find Abraham rising up and going along with them as they went towards Sodom, how much he crazed their company, and we have to leave this happy place. If the Lord doesn't come, we're going to have to leave this happy place. But so to speak, we can still have His company. We can still have the sweetness of His company and commune with Him about those things that are upon our hearts and that press upon us in this life.
Let a little water, I pray ye be fetched, and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tray. All can, can we?
Refreshment and joy to the Lord. We think of the Lord Jesus in the 4th of John, but he came to the psycho as well. He said to that woman.
Give me the drink. Is it possible for us to give refreshment to the Lord? Or you say, I know he brings refreshment to me. Can I actually give refreshment to Him?
Yes, every response in your heart and mind to Him and to His love brings refreshment to Him.
For he finds his joy and his delight in his people. The Lord will take pleasure in His people. He not only died to save us from hell, as one of the children remarked in the Sunday school group this morning, but he also died because he wanted our company.
For all these terms he wanted our company, and thought it's nice to see Abraham conscious of the fact that he was not only finding joy in having the Lord come to his tent, but that he was going to give refreshment to the Lord. And so he said, Terry, let a little water be fetched. Rest yourselves under the tree, and I will fetch your morsel of bread and comfort to your heart. After that you shall pass on, for therefore are you come to your servant.
And they said, so do as thou has said. Yes, he wanted to.
Provide comfort and soul with haste this.
Little meal is prepared. Prepared.
And it tells us here in the seventh verse. And Abraham ran into the herd, fetched a calf, tander and good gave it unto a young man. Then in the eighth verse, And he took butter and milk and the cap which he had dressed, he had dressed.
Before them, and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat for a contrast to Abraham, A to Adam. Rather Adam hid behind the tree. Adam prepared nothing Adam, Adam was unhappy in the presence of the Lord. Adam, as I say, was blaming others. But here how different we find with Abraham, that he prepared this all for the Lord.
And then he stood by them.
By the tree. And oh, isn't it lovely for us just that we can stand by Him. And if we might think of the tree, if we might think of that cross of Calvary as we sing sometimes, all cross of Christ, so glorious tree. What place can be compared with these, where God's own Son was crucified, and for our sins a ransom died. So he stood there by the tree, and then he provided for them.
00:35:07
And tell us here about the trouble that they went to. You know, I think this is very sweet here. Perhaps some person, some sister might invite you to their home. And perhaps the sister goes to a lot of trouble to spread a nice meal. Isn't this lovely to think that the Lord takes the trouble here to tell us all that was served? All you think, is the Lord interested in what I planned for my menu?
Is he interested in whether the meats tender and good? Yes, He tells us here that it was tender and good. He tells us about the trouble that she went to, and the hurry, the haste with which it was all prepared. All. There's no detail in our lives that is too small for his all seeing eye. You can never do anything for the Lord Jesus, but he won't notice it, And not only will he notice it, but he'll notice how we do it. He'll notice the care that we take.
All what a precious Savior we have, what pleasure he takes in his people. And so here we find Abraham enjoys this sweet communion with the Lord. And now something more in the ninth verse. And they said unto him, where is Sarah White? And he said, behold in the 10th. Well, the Lord knew that there was something that Abraham and Sarah wanted.
Very, very much.
All how they have longed to have a child and the Lord up to this point hadn't allowed them to have a child. And perhaps there's some desire that is pressing upon your heart too. And to say as the Lord interested, I've asked him so many times, is he really concerned and interested about that desire that presses upon my heart. Oh, I think this is sweet too, that when Abraham and Sarah had received the Lord.
And when they had prepared this meal.
When they had, so to speak, made him welcome at their 10th door.
Then the Lord told them that He knew about that desire that was in their heart, and that He was going to come in and grab that desire for them. Oh, how precious it is. And perhaps there's some desire in your art. Well, if it's good for you, the Lord will grab us, because He tells us that we know that all things work together for good.
To them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. It says again in the 84th Psalm, No good thing will he withhold from them, but walk uprightly. Of course, you know, sometimes we want things that isn't or not for our good. And no doubt Abraham wish that this child had come long before there had been a time in which faith was really tested.
But the Lord knew all about this desire that was upon the heart of Abraham. And so I say again, the Lord knows all of those things that are upon our hearts too, those desires that are pressing, and according to His own perfect will, He grasps them. You know, I just like to mention in that 8th chapter of Romans the verse I just quoted, it says.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. The next verse I always like to read with it. It says for whom he did for no, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Did you ever notice the connection between those two verses? Well, it's been very sweet to me.
Because I illustrated something like this. Did you ever read a storybook? And you came to a very sad chapter in the storybook and.
It concerns us so much that you turned over to the end of the book to see how the story ended.
You haven't even finished reading the third chapter until you went over to the end of the book. And then when you found out the story ended all right, you went back and you read that sad chapter with confidence.
Well, that's just what God is telling us. We come to a place and we say, well, how can this work for good? God says, I'm going to tell you at the end of the story.
What's the end of the story? It says whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate.
00:40:02
To be conformed to the image of his son. That's the end of the story, brethren. So at the end of the story is all right. Why? Just like ourselves. But we know the story ends and we go back and we read that sad chapter. Maybe the tears run down our cheeks like remembers a boy reading sad stories. And yet when I knew it was going to end all right, even though the tears may be came into my eyes, still confidence that it was going to be all right in the end. So perhaps there's some here.
And you're at some sad chapter in your life.
Remember, God's making all things work together for good and He knows what's at the end and He knew just what was pressing upon poor Sarah heart and I think it was so compassionate here without Sarah even raising the question. The Lord says call Sarah and he told her that she was going to have that which he desired and the law. We may not have all that we desire down here. There's going to be a land where we'll dwell eternally.
And our hearts will be abundantly satisfied. There will not be an ungrounded desire in that home.
Now, as the children of Israel get into the Promised Land, what did they say? They said there have not failed one word of all his good promise.
So how blessed and all about every desire of our hearts will be answered someday in God's time.
Well, and as I say.
Tell this in the 60s first the men arose from sense and looked toward Sodom and lot went with them. Well, we have these times of sweet communion with the Lord, but then these times have to come to an end.
And the Lord looked towards Sodom. Judgment was going to fall, and this world in which we live and through which we pass is under judgment.
And you and I can't help but feel the judgment is drawing here. A storm clouds seem to be gathering. And so here we find that the Lord starts towards Sodom, and it says that Abraham rose up to go along with him. And so the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? Oh, here we find God communing with Abraham.
As his friends and isn't it lovely? He says that Abraham is called friend of God.
And it tells us in John the Lord said, I have not called you servants, for a servant knows not what his Lord doeth. But I've called you friends, because all things that I've heard of my father I've made known unto you. And so he's called us his friends, that all that we might walk in his company, and then he would commune with us. How many dear Christians there are that allow they're saved like lot was in Sodom.
They're not walking in communion with the Lord.
They're not walking in communion with the Lord. They're not intelligent about his mind. But it was because Abraham desired the company of the Lord that the Lord then made known to him what was coming. And one has sometimes said that the Christian thought of God is the only person that has an intelligent outlook on what's going on in the world, the only person who has an intelligent outlook. Men of the world don't know what's coming.
Christians who don't read their Bibles and who don't walk in the truth don't know what's coming. Confusion reigns in their minds. But all. How different with Abraham. The Lord said I won't hide from him, and he hasn't hidden from us. Where He has made known His mind to us, He has given us the privilege of walking in company with him.
In this the seed of his rejection. And so the next thing is we find that.
In the 21St verse, Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? And here we find them, Abraham interceding for his brother Lock. Abraham interceding for his brother Lot.
How all this stands out in such contrast with Adam who was blaming. Now we might ask our own heart to question, Are we interceding for our brethren?
Killing all some of our brethren that are getting away, getting cold, losing the joy of the Lord's presence, are we understanding for them? It's easy to blame them. Doesn't take much, doesn't take much spirituality, as another has said, to discover the flesh in another. It's easy to see that.
00:45:11
Test, because they can see the flesh in us too at times. And so we find here with dear Abraham, even a little lot have been so unappreciative of his kindness. Even lawyer separated from him. Even though he had not responded to his kindness when he delivered him on a previous occasion, he still interceding for his brother. O'Brien. How much do we look to the Lord?
For one another, how much do we look to the Lord seeking the blessing of our brethren? And they might be kept, for it is the heat of the day. It is an evil day, it's a difficult day. And perhaps those people and all dear brethren may be placed in very trying circumstances.
That we need to intercede for them. And we find that when Abraham interceded here, he didn't mention anything about the failure of Lot at all. He just simply spoke of the righteous. He asked the Lord, when you destroy the righteous was awakened, who did he refer to?
Well, we knew the lot was there and he called lot who had been so unkind and thought appreciated the righteousness all isn't this lovely? He saw what was a faith he saw as we've been having in our chapter, but was commendable. He looked upon the quality of another and oh how beautiful it is to see that he interceded all. It's true. He didn't go far enough. He went down down until he got down to 10 and then he left communing.
But nevertheless, we can say.
He did intercede and I say that sometimes we fall short just like Abraham did. We have received for them, but we don't realize how wonderfully gracious the Lord is. I'd like to put beside this the instance that we have. I believe it's in Ezekiel where the Lord said to his servant, He said, go through the city and if you find one righteous person, I'll spare the city. It seemed to me that's an answer here.
That love didn't go low enough. He went down to 10 and then he stopped. But the Lord, Speaking of the grace that was in his heart, he said, if there's only one righteous person, I'll spare the city all His grace. His kindness, His willingness to bless brethren, always exceeds our thoughts. May our hearts rise up more in His thoughts as we seek the blessings of one another, because He's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Well, then in the next chapter we find a very sad thing here. These two angels came not in the cool of the day as it was with Adam, not in the heat of the day as it was with Abraham, but it even, and it seemed to me it was spiritual even time in poor Lot's life, spiritual event. He had kind of, so to speak, allow the sun to set and there he was.
He was.
Just trying to find a place and perhaps to help and improve Sodom very saddened the Gates as opposed. He had something to do with the affairs of Sodom, thinking that he might improve it by being there, but all he couldn't improve it.
And these two men came and hit theirs that he rolls up to meet them. And he wasn't intelligent. He called them my Lords, as I remarked before, even though the Lord wasn't there, he called these angels my Lords. And then they said that they wouldn't come into his house.
All what a sad thing. What a sad thing. The condition of Lord's house was such that the angels didn't even want to come into his house. They didn't even want to come into his house. Or how far away we can get from the Lord. And he was a true believer. We're going to meet Lord and glory, but he missed a great deal here on earth. And thank God, every blood bought child will be in glory as our brother brought before us.
There can be no judgment. It's all passed for the believer.
But we can lose a great deal down here. We can have a saved soul, but a lost life. And so it was with your lucky. Well, finally, when he pressed them, they did come into the house. But all that uneasiness.
00:50:00
It says a man of Sodom gathered around and pressed in and the doors were open and he couldn't, he couldn't shut the doors. Apparently the doors had always been open. The people of Sodom would go in and out as they wish.
And so when they came around, they were going to just press into his house, even though he didn't desire it. Well, I don't intend to say much about four lots case here, but as a picture of one who has got away from the Lord, who doesn't enjoy the Lord himself, whose home then sinks down such a level that the Lord didn't come to visit the home and even the angels.
Didn't seem at the field at all. At ease in his home.
A lot in ******. What a loss. But all how different I say the case of Abraham. May the Lord give us grace then to know something of that which Abraham enjoyed. It may be with some of us that we feel the heat of the day. It may be with some of us that there are desires in our hearts that the Lord hasn't granted. It may be that some other Christian.
Has disappointed us and grieved us.
Like lot of grieved Abraham, it may be that we have consciousness of our own failures. Abraham did but all. May the Lord 'cause that our hearts will still turn the hymns and find in him the one who loves us with an unchanging love. When we have failed, we can come and confess it and be restored. But I say, brethren, he wants our company, and he finds his own delight and joy.
In our company, may we know what it is to rise and meet him, so to speak, to welcome him, and to know some of these precious things that characterize Abraham.
Giving refreshment to the Lord, providing a meal for the Lord, having the Lord tell him that he knew about his request and telling him to that.
He was going to destroy Sodom, but that Abraham had the privilege of interceding for his brother.
Give us the dollar. One is walk so the union with the Lord in these difficult days, that when he comes that we will have the sweetness of the enjoyment of His company here in this scene, as we shall soon have about.
Luke 3 and 23 Aversion was read to us already today.
And I'd just like to make a few remarks in regard to it.
Jesus himself began to be about 30 years of age.
Toilet feed in numbers.
The 4th chapter.
Now brother in commenting on this meeting spoke of it is an assembly gathering for instruction for the assembly as well. And I thought this.
1St, that our brother quoted in the young people's meeting might be carried just a little further in his connections.
It might be instructive for us.
In the 4th chapter of Numbers.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying.
Take the Psalm of the sons of Korah from among the sons of Levi, after their families by the House of their fathers.
From 30 years old and upward even as of 50 years old.
All that enter into the host to do the work in the Tabernacle of the congregation.
I'm sure that there are many young men here this afternoon.
That are about 30 years old.
You know, we don't go by numbers in the New Testament exactly, but we do have that instruction in principle for us.
And possibly.
As we see the Lord Jesus here before us.
And we notice what it says. Jesus himself.
00:55:03
Now, there's two or three other verses in Luke that speak of Jesus himself.
And so we're told to follow in his death.
You're 30 years old, you young men.
Have you ever thought of your particular responsibility in the assembly?
There will be others who will drop off.
And you'll take up their responsibilities.
If there's an exercise in your heart.
After the things of Christ down here.
30 years old and upward.
Has it ever entered your mind that you were to follow in his steps, dear young man?
Oh, what a privilege you have.
When you get home to glory, it says, his servants shall serve him.
But not like you can serve him down here.
There are battles to be fought.
In those first 30 years of your life, have you?
By the grace of God, read the scriptures that on your knees before God so that when that year comes.
You commend yourself to your brethren.
30 years old and upwards.
Well, that's all I have to say about that. But now let's turn to an illustration in the 21St chapter of First Samuel.
Perhaps we might find something also.
For.
The older ones.
First Samuel.
The 21St chapter.
I'm sorry, it's the 22nd Samuel, the 21St chapter.
2 Samuel 21.
The 15 first. Moreover, the Philistines had yet war again with Israel.
David went down and his servants with him and fought against the Philistines.
David Waxbank.
And this by Vinod, which was of the sons of the giants, the waiter, whose fear weighed 300.
He, being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
But a fishy eye, the son of Zara, suckered him and smote the Philistine and killed him.
Then the men of men of David swear unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle.
That thou quench, not the light of Israel.
And it came to pass after this that there was a ghetto battle with the Philistines at Gough.
Then.
Civic AI, the Oceanside slew Sapp, which was of the Sons of the Giants.
And there was again a battle in Gobble of the Philistines.
Where El Hayden, the son of Jerm of Bethlehem, I slew the brother of Goliath the Gitite.
The staff of whose fear was like a weaver's being.
There was yet a battle in Gath where the man where was the man of great stature that had on every hand 6 fingers and on every foot six toes. Born 20 in number, he also was born to the giants.
When he defied Israel, Jonathan, the son of Shamea, the brother of David, slew him.
These four were born to the Giant and Gap.
Fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Now who is God using?
David No.
He is using the young man.
That had been experienced in war.
And they were coming up in the ranks to take the place of David.
What happened to David? Wasn't it David that slew Goliath?
01:00:04
Ah, yes, but in whose power?
It was the grace that God gave him was.
Or to have wisdom to know where we belong and when we belong there. To know when to go out and when to come in.
And to have that grace to wait upon God for our instructions.
And there may come a time.
When one was older.
Would be wise to take up what David does in the following chapters.
When he takes the place of the sweet psalmist of Israel.
When he ministers those things that lead the hearts.
Upwards into the heavenly things. The type, I mean.
Richer, fuller things.
Not just going out to battle.
It is necessary these battles.
Because there's a warfare going on in this world and it must be fought and God has his man.
But oh how nice it is.
To have wisdom, to know where we belong.
And to know what to do at the right time, and to know when God has given us grace for that work to do.
How instructive this is.
But now I'd like to turn to the last chapter of Luke.
Just a few more thoughts and possibly to continue with what we've already had before us.
In all of these meetings, but especially what was brought out this afternoon in the young people's meeting, I was rather impressed that how the.
Name of Jesus was mentioned so much.
And in the last chapter of Luke we have again what we have mentioned in this.
This verse. This 23rd verse of the third chapter. Jesus Himself.
Our brethren, how sweet that is.
That is Christianity.
To know Jesus himself.
And we have 3 expressions in this 24th chapter.
It's Jesus himself.
And if we don't get anything else from these meetings, dear ones, I trust that it's to go away with the consciousness of the presence of Jesus himself.
Possibly we've come to these meetings like these two that are on their way to Emmaus in this 24th chapter.
The 15th verse.
And it came to pass it while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
Then there was a day like today for reasoning.
And I'm sure that oftentimes as Saints, when we get off by ourselves.
And problems arise. We begin to reason.
We get out of communion.
And even though we may continue to find our place at the table physically.
Our spirits have gotten away.
And I find from my own soul how good it is.
Be with my brethren, that I might be preserved.
God has provided this for us.
We might be preserved in our souls. Can't walk alone down here.
Elijah tried it.
He got discouraged and he wished that he might die.
No, we can't walk alone.
We'll have to go on with the people of God and all their weakness.
Or to walk in the spiritual wilderness alone. One of the two.
And so how good it is then?
To be bound together among the Saints of God.
But these two were on their way to a mass. You know the story better than I perhaps, but I just want to call your attention again.
That is Jesus himself. Now we don't have that expression too much in the body of the book of Luke, I suppose.
But we have it at the beginning, where the Lord Jesus is brought before us at the beginning of his ministry at 30 years old.
And then now we have it again in the last chapter. I don't know how much we have it in between, but we do have it, these two places.
And I believe we have a pattern here in this 24th chapter.
01:05:04
It's the advocacy of Christ.
Is restoring the souls of his disciples.
In those forty days.
Between his resurrection and his ascension.
Why didn't the Lord Jesus go straight into the glory?
Now he would have left his disciples out of communion.
Does he want us to go out of communion? No, because we won't have any joy down here.
Do you think you'll find joy in the things around you in this sad world? No, you won't.
You'll have heartaches, that's all.
Heartaches.
But when Jesus himself draws there, it's different.
And if your Christianity is simply a matter of doctrine, Dear one, this afternoon.
You don't know what Christianity is.
Jesus himself drew near. Wasn't so much what He said that through their hearts, No, their hearts burned in his presence.
And what was he doing?
What he always does with his own those weapons.
He goes with.
Oh how how we see all through the Gospel of Luke. Grace, grace, grace.
In that second chapter of Philippians we were reading in the meetings, we have the graciousness of the Lord Jesus.
And there is the example for the Saints. We have the subject of graciousness presented to us for our walk down here.
Not thinking of our own things, but on the things of others.
Oh, how much we have to learn, how far off we were the sons of Adam.
Let the Lord Jesus here Stoops to go with these two on their way to Emmaus.
Were they going the right way? No, they were going away.
He went with them, but how long?
Make himself known to them, and then he leads them.
Y will turn down now.
To the 36th verse.
36 verse.
In the mean time, the Lord Jesus.
Is not among his disciples.
1 by 1.
Won their hearts back again.
Are they on the way? No, Maus now. No, they're on the way back to Jerusalem. Why? Because he's made their hearts burn within them, that's why.
They're back on their way to Jerusalem.
When someone is interested in the truth of gathering, do you tell them about all the divisions of the Saints so they'll be sure and get the right path?
But if you do, you've made the mistake to start with.
Ah, dear brethren, what we need is to present.
Practical Christianity.
Practice of Christianity? What is this?
If you and I in any little way can reflect Christ, that's the way to lead souls to the true center.
Reflect Christ.
Well, here they are.
And as they thus faith.
What are they talking about now? Reasoning. You know this speaking about Jesus.
They're speaking about how he appeared to Simon. Who's Simon? He's the one that said I don't know that man at the cross.
He's restored now though, isn't he?
Restored in his soul.
Here they all are gathered.
Together.
And Jesus himself drew near.
But now he stands in their midst.
Well, I'd say there's a pattern here.
First the soul restored, and then with Jesus in the midst.
All you dear young people here, and older ones too, have you found your place?
Where Jesus stands in the midst.
This morning were you here as those who were gathered through his precious name?
01:10:02
Are you still following men?
And the things that men would present to your soul.
Does Jesus mean that much to you that you would be gathered to His precious name down here, the one thing he's asked you to do?
Just do in remembrance of me.
Are you listening to man's words, or are you listening to God's word?
As Jesus drawn near to you in these meetings, so much so that you now say, well, I'm going to take my place, gather to his precious name.
Is that so with you?
I'll tell you the result will be finish the verse.
And said unto them.
He's beyond the hands.
Hey, beyond to you.
All what a calm comes over the soul and the light to be obedient.
Through the word of God, to walk down here as he walked in the obedience of Jesus Christ.
That obedience that was always looking at dependence on God for the next step is that your path is the path of peace.
And you'll never find beach anywhere else.
Peace beyond you.
In Philippians, 4 pieces mentioned.
As the peace.
Here's peace.
The peace of God.
That that's in connection with our circumstances.
And the peace of God.
Those who just cast enroll their circumstances on him. They have the feast of God.
But then it speaks of the God of peace. What's that?
Those who obey his word, those things the apostle says that you've seen in me do.
The God of peace shall be in with you.
Isn't that precious?
But now one more thing, because the time is up.
And as we read it, the 39th verse.
I want you to see the difference, the change in the wording, although it's the same in a sense.
Behold my hands and my feet.
That it is I.
Not himself, but myself.
Now, brethren, I believe this is a picture.
Not only of the experience of one who has been gathered to himself.
I'm not talking about positioning merely.
But I'm talking about what that is to himself.
Where Christ now is everything to the soul.
But it also, brethren, I believe it's a little picture of Heaven himself.
And what's he doing here?
Ah, he's taking him, breaking the fish.
An Indian restaurant.
Our brother in our communion in heaven.
Is going to be with himself forever. Jesus personally.
Not just about him, beloved.
But in his presence, I myself.
But are we going to wait till we get home to glory for this?
Oh, I trust, brethren, this has been your experience in these meetings.
That the Lord Jesus has been made precious to your soul. That it is I myself.
24.
The back of our pinnacle fighting for.
Nothing but.
Nothing but.
God.