Open—P. Johnson, P. Glading, G. Hayhoe
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General Meetings. Toledo, November 1972. Open meeting.
139 This world is the wilderness.
We have nothing to seek.
We have no swallowing the weight of mine breasts. N loose 139.
That's why there's always.
Great, I'm not playing close to a place from our world.
I can just write down.
The question.
Of course.
'S pride with the sun and the joy of Here is the last November.
I'm just trying to find great information.
We're going to go.
Aye.
We want to read a verse in the gospel, or rather the book of Romans chapter 14.
Romans, chapter 14.
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Verse 17.
For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And then she will return to that portion we've been considering in our readings, Hebrews chapter 2.
The second chapter of Hebrews.
Verse 5.
For under the angels hath 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? Are the Son of man that thou visited him?
Thou mayest him 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 in that he had 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 lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.
Well, I had it upon my heart as we've been considering here together.
Not to go over, of course, what we've had here in this, in our readings in this second chapter of Hebrews, but there is an expression brought before us here, a thought brought before us that I would like to enlarge upon. That might be for our help in blessing and encouragement and instruction as well, we trust.
It is found in the fifth verse that expression.
The world to come.
The world to come We have it again as we had it before us in our readings later on in this same epistle, The powers of the world to come in the 6th chapter of Hebrews. Here the the thought of that coming scene of glory, The world to come. Now we have the world brought before us in three different ways in the Word of God. That is as to the time element.
Present and future. You remember Peter in his second epistle, chapter 3 speaks of the world that then was referring to the world that existed before the flood, the world that then was that passed. God overthrew that world with a flood and it perished. And only we know those who in the safety of the ark were brought through. And we read in Scripture as such verses as we have in Galatians chapter one.
Of this present evil world. And in tight as we read of this present world and elsewhere too, the present world, the world that now is. And here we have the future of the world to come. So we have that world that then was passed before the flood, and that world in which we now live as we had in our hymn. This world is a wilderness wife, and it's spoken of in Galatians as the present evil world.
No doubt it has taken that character of being evil because of the rejection of the Lord Jesus. And then we know too that the the.
Christendom and all that it is brought in, and wickedness in connection with the profession of Christianity has only added to the evil of this present world, this world in which we're living. But now we have brought before us here in the second chapter of Hebrews, the world to come.
Now I'd like to just point out in this second chapter of Hebrews we have three things in connection with the world to come. We have the power that is going to be exercised in that world to come found in verse 8, the beginning thou has put all things in subjection under his feet. That's the power that is going to be exercised by the Lord Jesus in the world to come. Everything brought into subjection to God. It's all put under him entitled now.
But it's going to be carried out in in fullness of power in the world to come, everything put under him and brought into subjection to the will of God. So we have the power that will be displayed and then we have the person who is going to wield or exercise that power. In verse nine, we see Jesus. We do not now see that power being exercised, but we see the one who is going to exercise is the person who is the center of that world to come.
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The person who is going to exercise the power. And then we have a third thing. We have the people who are going to share the blessedness of that world to come. That's brought before us in verse 17 where we read about to the Lord Jesus making propitiation for the sins of the people as well as the expression the many sons that he's bringing to glory. It's the people who are going to share it all with him.
So we have the power of that world to come and the person who's going to exercise it as being the center of that world. And the people you and I, as those who are in all of the benefits of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, those who believe upon him and who now share the benefits of the work of propitiation. Of course, there are others we know. For in that world to come, it's going to be a great scene of glory where all things are headed up.
In the Lord Jesus Christ, both which are in heaven and which are upon earth, but especially here in Hebrews, the people.
Who will share that you and I as believers own the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, now I read in the Romans 14 a verse in connection with the Kingdom of God. For actually this expression, the world to come brings before us that Kingdom that is going to be established here in this world.
When the Lord Jesus Christ reigns and brings everything into subjection to God.
It refers to the Kingdom, that world to come, that glorious scene that God is going to bring to past in connection with His beloved Son.
And so I'd like to speak for a little while this afternoon.
A fourth thing in connection with the world to come of the Kingdom, we had the power. We do not see it now exercised in a public, invisible way, but we see the person who's going to exercise it, and he is gathering the people who are going to share it all with him. But I'd like to speak a little about the principles that will govern that Kingdom. For I believe the verse in Romans 14 would bring before us the fact that even while it is true the Kingdom has not yet been established, the world to come is still future.
We are in the world that now is this present evil world. We are not yet in the world to come yet. The principles that will govern that day, the principles that will be in operation in that day, are to be found among those who are even now delivered, as we have in Colossians, one from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. For we are those who are in the Kingdom of God in a moral and spiritual way.
The Kingdom of God, you might say, is established, and the souls of the believers.
There is the Kingdom of God morally, into which we have been brought.
By the grace of God, we know that John Three tells us that a man has to be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. It's a moral and spiritual realm into which we've been brought. And the principles that will govern the world to come in a public way, in a universal worldwide way, are to be found and practiced and seen and carried out among those who are even now in the Kingdom of God.
Now I read that verse in Romans, for it says the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink. It's not in mere outward things, but it's moral righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Of course, in the world to come, it's going to be these principles are going to be carried out in a in an outward way, in a public way, and in a visible way worldwide. The whole world will be brought under the power of these principles.
But as I say, they are to be carried out now by those who are in the Kingdom of God morally.
Even in this present world before the time of the world to come. Now let us turn back to the book of Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah chapter 2, where we have what I would like to speak of as the the dominant feature of the world to come, that which is a sort of a overriding principle of the Kingdom, the world to come. Now this second chapter of Isaiah.
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Speaks of the exaltation of the Lord's house.
Or the mountain of the Lord's house being established in the top of the mountains in verse two, and shall be exalted above the hills. It speaks of the time and that world to come when that power is exercised to subdue all things unto God. Well, what a wonderful scene it will be, and what a contrast with this world in which we're found today where things are not in subjection to God in that day to find the mountain.
Of the Lord exalted above all of the hills and all the nations flowing into it. But now then, what I had especially before me, is the principle that is brought before us.
In verse 11.
Of course, what will introduce this world to come, as we find in the prophets, what introduces this world to come and will make these principles operative here in the world, is not the gospel, but the Lord Jesus coming in judgment.
So we read in verse 11, The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down.
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Now so important is this principle that the Lord alone exalted in that day that it's repeated in verse 17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, the Lord alone. You know, we have a little preview of the Kingdom of the world to come on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And you remember there were two Moses and alliance who appeared there with the Lord Jesus. And Peter spoke of making three tabernacles, one for each or it couldn't be. The Lord alone will be exalted in that day, no matter how.
A blessed man might be, no matter how gifted a server the Lord might be, the thought is the Lord alone shall be exalted. That's the overriding dominant principle of the Kingdom of God.
It's going to be publicly displayed in the world to come. There will be no rivals to the person of the Lord Jesus.
There will be none who will buy with him for a place of authority or a place of honor. Know the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. And so this is the principle that would be operative today in the Kingdom of God among the Lords people, that the Lord alone should be exalted. It's all in view of what we have in the last verse of Isaiah 22. See sheep from man whose breath is in his nostrils.
You know, where do we find beloved today all about us, Just the opposite of this. Rather than man being brought low and the Lord himself being exalted and men ceasing from man, we find that man is the object of, of pride and veneration, or at least he is the object of, of, of some desire to follow and to exalt. And how about in Christendom? How about even among those who profess to know the Lord Jesus Christ, his Savior?
What do we find on every hand? We find man exalted. We find perhaps this great preacher exalted, or this great personality brought before the people of this world to listen to. Personalities are being paraded, personalities are being exalted. But the principle of the Kingdom of God, the dominant principle, is the Lord alone shall be exalted. And see sheep from man whose breath is in his nostrils.
Hero worship has no place in the Kingdom of God. The exalting of personalities and the making much of man, however gifted he might be, or however much he might be used of the Lord, is contrary to the dominant principle of the Kingdom of God, that the Lord Himself shall be exalted. See sheep from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Well, this is the principle of the world to come.
And it's a principle that God would have us to carry out today, even in the world that now is.
This world that has become to us a wilderness.
We'll now turn over to another passage in Isaiah, this time chapter 26, I believe.
Or rather chapter 32.
In chapter 32. Now, of course, what we're reading here in Isaiah.
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Refers to the future, the world to come and what will be carried out in a universal, public way.
It says in verse one, Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness. Here we have a feature of the Kingdom brought before us, that world to come righteousness.
And you recall in Romans, the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness. That's the first thing that's brought before us there, morally speaking.
Here it refers, of course, to that righteous reign. When the Lord Jesus Christ reigns, A king shall reign in righteousness.
Now, if you'll turn back to the 26th chapter.
You will see how that this is going to be made good in a practical way for the inhabitants of the earth.
Now you see today in the world that now is those who are the people to share the world to come with the Lord Jesus. We learn righteousness not in the way that I'm going to read here in Isaiah. We learn righteousness from the Lord Himself and the Word of God. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. We learn righteousness in the presence of the Lord.
And with His precious word brought before us, that's the way we learn righteousness. But in the coming Kingdom, in the world to come, when the king reigns in righteousness universally in this world, they're going to learn righteousness according to verse nine of Isaiah 26.
In the middle of the verse. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Those who will not learn righteousness now, those who reject the gospel and who do not learn righteousness now and practice righteousness. Why, we read here that judgment is going to come upon this world, and it's going to clear the earth, as it were, of every element that will be contrary to righteousness.
And then the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness when his judgments are in the earth. Now turn back to the 32nd chapter.
Righteousness.
Is a principle of the world to come.
Now we see the effect of righteousness in chapter 32 and verse 17.
And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. Again, this is a feature that is to be displayed universally and publicly. Righteousness and then peace in this world.
Then turn to the 35th chapter.
Chapter 35.
And verse one we have another principle.
That will characterize that world to come, we read here. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them.
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom is the road. We have joy, righteousness, peace, and joy. The dominant overall feature, as I said, is in the second chapter. The Lord alone exalted in that day, and ceasing from man whose breath is in his nostrils.
And then we have righteousness, we have joy, and we have peace.
These all are to be publicly, universally carried out as principles of the world to come, all underneath that person who will wield the power in that day, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now then, turn back to Romans 14.
For what we've been speaking about thus far is in connection with the world to come, still future as far as this world is is concerned. But in Romans 14 we have something that is true today.
It's true today. Principles of the Kingdom of God. I read that verse again, verse 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Well, we have here the same 3 features principles that we saw in Isaiah that will be carried out in a public and universal way when the Lord comes in the world to come.
But now they are to be known in the Holy Spirit. It's in the spiritual realm that these things are carried out today, and it's in the spiritual realm that these things are known righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Now this is true of every believer on the Lord Jesus. In a positional way, we know that the Epistle to the Roman establishes the fact that we are.
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We are declared righteous before God and that God has established A righteous basis for our salvation.
Through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel, therein is revealed the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God based upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ as we see in the third chapter of Romans. He is giving Himself for us upon the cross of Calvary, suffering for sins. The just for the unjust is the righteous basis for God, declaring you and me righteous before Him. Every believer has righteousness.
Before God, He has a righteous standing. He is accounted in hell to be righteous.
This we have even now in this present evil world, before the world to come is brought to pass. And what about joy and peace? Well, we know that we have this by believing. Notice in the 15th chapter of Romans verse 13.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.
Oh, I trust that this is the portion of everyone in the room that is left here for this meeting this afternoon.
That you do have a righteous standing before God in Christ and that you have joy and peace in believing. If you're if your faith is genuine in Christ, you have joy and peace. You have the joy of the forgiveness of sins. You have peace with God. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. This is, we might say, in a sense, the Kingdom of God established in the soul of a believer spiritually at the present time, righteousness.
Joy and peace in the Holy Ghost, but also I would like to apply this, I believe to it should be that God would have us to recognize here this principle of the world to come, that God would have us to be in the good of it the present time to apply these things in a practical way. For not only is the thought here righteousness, joy and peace as to what we have in Christ as believing the gospel, but God would have us to display in our walk in ways that principle of righteousness.
That is going to be carried out in a worldwide way in the world to come. James tells us in the first chapter of his epistle that God has begotten us, that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures, a sort of a first fruit, a sort of a sample of what it'll be in the world to come when the whole world is is subjected to God, into Christ, when everything is brought into order, and when righteousness reigns.
And so among the Saints of God today, in a practical way, there should be a little preview, a little the first fruits of the world to come. Even while we're here in this present evil world that is characterized by everything but the principles of the Kingdom of God, we know that these principles are not current in the world in which we find ourselves today. Everything is opposed to these principles. But all we rejoice in the thought and in the in the expectation, for we know it's going to come to pass.
That these things are going to be carried out in a public way. And what a wonderful scene to see the whole world brought under subjection to God and the Lord Jesus Christ having his rightful place and these wonderful principles of righteousness, joy and peace being carried out. Now they're known in the Holy Spirit. They're known and carried out in the power of the Holy Spirit only by believers. We can't look for these things in the world and we can't go out and try to teach and educate the world in these principles. We preach the gospel.
We've been charged by the Lord Jesus to go out and preach the gospel to the whole world.
And when the gospel is preached and one believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is sealed with the Holy Spirit of God. And so he then can carry out these principles of righteousness, joy and peace, for he has the Holy Ghost, he has the Holy Spirit. We preach the gospel, but we can't go out and enforce these principles. It's for us to walk in the power of them as a testimony to this world, showing to the world what, as it were, it's going to be like in the world to come when everything is carried out according to the mind of God. Well, righteousness is the first thing.
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Of our pathway through this scene now I know that it is not very.
Popular today to even raise the question of right and wrong, it's more or less left to an individual to make his own rules, so to speak.
And the thought of what is right is seldom brought up but with the child of God. We never want to adopt the principles of the world. We want to get all of our principles of conduct and action from the Word of God.
And we are to consider what is right. We find it over and over again. There were faithful men of God in the Word.
That would not do certain things because it wasn't right.
And certain things were done because it was right.
Righteousness is a feature of the Kingdom that God would have us to walk in the power of today, and especially as the days grow more difficult, as we have in Second Timothy, Righteousness is emphasized in that epistle. We're told not only to flee youthful lusts, but to follow righteousness. That's the first thing. Then faith, love, and peace, but righteousness. And the apostle speaks of the word of God as the word of righteousness.
Then he speaks of a crown of righteousness. Righteousness is emphasized in a day of of disorder and confusion. And certainly it means considering what is right according to the mind of God is revealed in His precious word. And I say, dear young people, as well as all of us.
We want to consider what is right. Righteousness is a principle that should govern us.
And our walk and conduct well, what about joy? Well, certainly, you know, we should be those who are joying and rejoicing in the Lord. We are the most privileged of people. I'm I'm satisfied that not only do we have the whole word of God committed to us, the faith once delivered to the Saints, but God in his goodness has unfolded to this word in faithful ministry to us for many years and it's available. And so we have the precious.
Revelations of God not only given, but ministered and unfolded, unfolded, unfolded so that our joy.
Should be abundant and we should be those who are rejoicing as we think of the goodness of God to us. And may it be that in these difficult days as we've had before us, encouragement that while there are things that come in to try in the gatherings and in the home and in many in every Ave. every aspect of our life here, that we might find our joy in the Lord. It's not joy in circumstances, but it's joy in the Lord.
And what about peace? Well, it's wonderful that the child of God can go through this scene of turmoil and even through the difficulties that arise among those gathered to the Lord's name in peace. He has that confidence in the Lord and in the assurance that everything is in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ and that things are not just happening by chance, and that things have not just gone awry, and that there is no control of things. We know that.
All things are in the hands of the Lord. We read in the in the first chapter of revelation of the Lord Jesus in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. He's there in the midst and he's observing everything that's going on. He says I know each time he says I know. And since he knows, we know that it's all in his hands. And we can, we can go on in the truth, go on in the principles of the Kingdom and go on in the truth of the word of God is made known to us in the peace.
Of knowing that all is in His blessed hands and He's going to bring it all to pass even as He has purposed.
So in a practical way, we can exhibit these marks of the world to come, righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Oh, how wonderful that God had given us the power to do so in the Spirit of God, even before it's all brought to pass in that world to come. Well, may He help us and encourage us on these things.
This morning.
Our dear brother read to us part of the 22nd Psalm, and that impressed me.
Concerning the person of Christ, and that solemn utterance which came from the depths of his soul. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken thee? And sitting at the table this noon, The dear old sister, she's left the conference now and gone home. I think she passed this remark, and that impressed me too.
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She said some of the preachers, they always speak about the Lord's sufferings under the hand of man, but very rarely do they mention his atoning sufferings. And I want to hear that, she said she impressed it upon me. I want to hear that.
And that brought before me this 22nd Psalm and the contrast we have in the 69th Psalm, maybe just for a few moments, turn to the 22nd Psalm.
Because in one I believe we have the Lord Jesus Christ suffering on the hand of God, and in the 69 suffering up under the hands of men.
Psalm 22.
My God.
My God, not my Father, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Here surely we can say if Christ died as a victim for sin under the hand of a holy God.
Died as a victim for sin on the hand of a holy God. Surely this would speak of His atoning sufferings. Beloved, we can never, never know what it meant to thine Blessed One to go to that cross and to come under the judgment of a holy God against sin.
To be forsaken of God while on the cross, which caused him the cry of my God. My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Surely this would speak of his atoning suffering.
Peter said that he was an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ, and Peter saw the Lord suffer down here.
For righteousness.
Peter did not witness the suffering of death. We had on our second chapter of Hebrews. Peter did not witness that solemn scene, the suffering of death. Here we have it, I believe in this chapter, in this Psalm.
The earth was covered with darkness, a darkness which no human eye could penetrate. When God was dealing with His beloved Son asked the question of sin and our sins A cause in the cry of my God, my God. Why? I believe this is the only time the Lord raised that question. Why? Why hast thou forsaken me? And so we have here Christ died as a victim for sin under the hand of God.
And this opens the way of life and salvation to everyone who puts their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we do not find in this Psalm, the 22nd Psalm, the Lord crying for vengeance upon his enemies, upon those who persecuted him, and those who nailed him. The cross. There's nothing about it in the 22nd Psalm. But when we turned the 69th.
There we find a different picture.
Psalm 69. We find here his martyrs sufferings bring down wrath and judgment upon the godless world.
And the world is stained, and the church is purged by the blood of Christ.
And in the 69th Psalm, we find he died as a matter of all righteousness. We've heard much about that this afternoon. He died as a martyr for righteousness under the hand of man.
And this man will have to give an account to God.
And every word of this solemn appeal will have its answer in the coming day. God will deal with the world concerning the death of His beloved Son, and the world will have to answer the God for it. So on the 22nd, soundly we have the atoning something of Christ there.
He doesn't call upon God for vengeance. Now he's the subject. Perfect man.
Willing to go through all that on the cross of Calvary, to glorify God His Father, and to satisfy God's holy and just and righteous claims and to save our souls. Within the 69th time we hear him crying for vengeance. Crying to God for vengeance upon his enemies. What a silent thing this is. Here we find he's suffering as a martyr under the hands of man.
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And so he cries to God for vengeance.
Now I want to turn to the 23rd of Luke, but before we do, I just want to mention this.
This was one, may I say, remark I heard at the table. And some of you dear Saints here perhaps have known dear old Mrs. our late Missus Robinson of Bermuda. She's with the Lord now.
But she said to me one day, brother, my son does not save and I have troubled much about him. I wish you'd go and see him. He's a Barber in the town.
I said, well, sister, with the Lord's help, I'll go and visit him.
So I went to visit this Barber and as I walked in the Barber shop, I said, who is on the Lord's side in this Barber shop?
The bomb had turned and looked at me and thought I was crazy, I suppose, and I repeated it. Yes, I said. Who's on the Lord's side in this barbershop?
The Bible looked at me with a sneer, He went on. Clipping here, he said. The Bible contradicts itself.
Now that's the reason I want to turn to run one reason to the 23rd chapter of Luke, and for the benefit of dear young people, if we can prove from God's Word that His word is true and there are no contradictions in it and no discrepancies either.
23rd chapter of Luke.
We've just seen here.
In the 69th Psalm, the Lord crying for vengeance upon his enemies.
And now we might read from verse 32 of the 23rd of Luke, just 2-3 verses.
And, beloved Saints, we need to be very careful how we read this verse. I've heard it read this way.
And they were also two other manufacturers.
Do you think that's the correct way to read it?
Why has the Spirit of God put the comma here? There were two other comma. The two other were malefactors. If we read it the other way, it would suggest that the Blessed Lord was a manufacture too. He's one with them. There were two other manufacturers. Oh, thank God for that comma. There were two other comma manufacturers.
LED with Him to be put to death, and when they would come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him. This to me is very striking and solemn, as much as to say we'll get rid of Him first.
They're the crucified Him first and the malefactors.
As much as they, we want to get rid of this man first of all.
How solemn this is. What a picture of the human heart against the person of Christ in verse 34. Then said, Jesus, Father, forgive them.
Psalm 69 We find the Lord crying to God for vengeance upon his enemies.
Now this Barber said the scripture contradicts itself.
Maybe, perhaps, I hope not, but there may be perhaps one or more here who has thought the description does contradict itself. But there's no such thing. Dear friends, this verse is not a contradiction of what we have in the 69 Psalm. There the Lord, I believe he's Speaking of the world as a whole.
Because we have the testimony of no less than 4 inspired witnesses.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johns of the solemn fact that the whole world.
Jew, Gentile, kings, governors, priests and people were all agreed on one point, and that was to get rid of the Son of God, to crucify him.
And we must either call the four inspired witnesses.
As being untruthful or we must admit the truth of what they say.
And we know it is true. And, dear friends, if there is one here who does not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're a part of that world and you come under its guilt of crucifying, rejecting the Son of God.
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And the world will have to answer to God for the crucifixion and death of his beloved Son. But here we find in this verse the Lord says, Father, forgive them. He doesn't cry down for vengeance, cry for vengeance to come upon them now. Now there is salvation for such as they'll have it. He is now on the cross of Calvary, dying for sinners.
And I say this, that if the blessed Lord had not died upon the cross for my sins, I never, never would have been forgiven.
Never.
It seems to me that this expression really means that the Lord was calling down judgment upon Himself.
He says, Father forgive them well, in order that they might be forgiven, He must suffer, He must die, He must suffer not only at the hands of wicked men, but under the hand of a holy God. And that's what probably my dear old sister, she says they preach so much about the physical sufferings of Christ, but they do not mention the atoning suffering of Christ on the hand of God. And so I believe we get the the two here in the 22nd Psalm and the 69th.
One is blessed ones suffering on the hand of a holy God as the victim of sin.
And the other suffering on the hands of men, a martyr and the hand of man for righteousness sake.
So here, this is not a contradiction, dear young people, and if your teachers at school or college try to.
Force you to believe that the Bible contradicts itself.
Do not listen to them. Do not listen to them. I'd like to turn to one or two other scriptures to prove that the Word of God does not contradict itself in any shape or form. Will you turn to Isaiah 53?
Isaiah 53 and verse 7.
He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers. Notice her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Now he turned to Acts chapter 8.
And the 32nd verse.
The place of the Scripture which you read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb done before his Shearer.
Oh, the other verse in her Shearer.
Now, dear young people, do not think this is a contradiction. We have to go somewhere else to find what this really means, and it's in the 4th chapter of Leviticus. I think it's very helpful to notice it.
Because you may be confronted with this.
Like the father said to me scripture contradicts itself and here this would look like a contradiction. Her Shearer then his Shearer. But if you turn the 4th chapter of Leviticus.
And verse 22.
When a ruler.
When a ruler has sinned and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty, or if his sin wherein yet sin come to his knowledge, he shall bring his offering. A kid of the goats a male. The governor had to bring a male without blemish. Now if you turn over.
To the 27th verse.
And if anyone of the common people sin through ignorance, while they do a somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord, concerning things which ought not to be donely guilty, or if his sin which he has sinned come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering. A kid of the goats, a female.
A female without blemish for his sin, which he has sinned.
Seems to me that these two verses will explain that the reason for that his sheer and her Shearer. But on the face of it, just reading it carelessly, you might think is a contradiction. First he says his Shearer, now her Shearer. Well, I believe this scripture gives us to understand what it means and proves that there is no contradiction whatever, none whatever.
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Now in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah again, just for a few moments.
Some aboard. There is a contradiction here in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord Jehovah, bruised him, him, the blessed Lord Jesus.
He, Jehovah have put him Jesus to greet.
Well, thou shalt make Jehovah shall make his soul an offering for sin.
He shall see his siege shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Now the 12 verse. Therefore will I divide him a portion of the great initial divide the spoil with a strong, because he hath poured out his soul.
In verse 10 says When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, but in the 12 verse, because he hath poured out his soul under death, and he Jesus was numbered with the transgressors.
And he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. Well, if we read that carelessly, he would say, here's another contradiction. First of all, we hear Jehovah speaking, and then it speaks of the Lord himself as offering up his soul.
Well, I believe we have, shall we say, 2 pictures brought before us God's side of Calvary, what God did to him, and the blessed Lord's side too. He was willing to go to that cross to offer up his soul, to OfferUp himself the perfect sacrifice to God for sin. But sin might be dealt with, and that our sins might be dealt with too, on the cross of Calvary by that blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now my brother brought before us Brother Anderson, wife may use his name. He spoke much about understanding and I liked the benefit of the young people to turn to three verses and 119 some in connection with understanding.
And this is where we get understanding the young people from the Word of God.
And this precious word liveth and abideth forever.
119 Psalm.
Verse 130.
The entrance of thy words giveth light. It giveth understanding unto the simple.
The entrance of thy words, not the entrance of the teachers words.
Or the master of the college. They may lead you astray or try to.
But if your well versed in the scripture and have the scriptures hidden in your heart and your mindful of them, you have something with which to combat their evil teaching because there's so much of it as you know in the schools and colleges of today. But here is some way dear friend, in which you can have understanding.
The entrance of thy words giveth light.
And it giveth understanding under the simple.
Now there's another verse here.
The 25th verse.
The 190 Some I am thy servant. Give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
Give me understanding.
Well, how we can get it?
Well, you say we need to be educated, we need to go to high school, Oregon college, in order to get understanding the beloved young people. You get that from the precious word of God.
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And now if you'll turn to something in the 99th verse of the same Psalm.
Or rather, perhaps we read 104 first.
Verse 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding.
Therefore, I hate every false way. Now 99, I have more understanding than all my teachers. How do you get it?
Now we're not to say this in a boastful way, of course not. But the only way you can get proper understanding, true understanding, is from the Word of God.
And we have it here four times mentioned in this.
Wonderful Psalm, and we need understanding for the pathway, and we find it in God's precious word, dear young people. And if anybody should confront you with anything contrary to the word of God, if you have an understanding of the Scriptures, you have something by which you can combat this evil. You can say, but God's word says so and so.
I'm having your thoughts, man's thoughts, but God's word said so and so.
And that's what we need today, dear young people, to go by God's precious, immutable word. It's forever settled in heaven and shall never pass away, never something solid to rest upon.
We are saved by the finished work of Christ and we have the assurance of our salvation through the immutable Word of God.
Or how we need the Word of God to sustain us, to encourage us, to guide and direct us, to instruct us, to give us understanding.
And we all need understanding and we're to get it from God's precious Word. That's the best place to get it. And so if you hear people say the Scripture contradicts itself, you have some proofs brought before in this afternoon that it does not, just needs a little understanding to explain it. And Scripture explains itself as we get in the first year and his year. It's all explained in the 4th chapter, Levitical, surely?
How similar it is. Thank God for the explanation. And so then, dear young people, beware. And there's just one verse like to read in Psalm 12 to you.
Psalm 12 and verse 6, the words of the Lord.
Pure words and silver tried in the furnace of earth. Purified 7 times.
We all know that seven in Scripture speaks of divine perfection.
And that's what God's Word is, dear friends, divine perfection. And that's what we need more than ever today, dear young people, read the word of God, meditate upon it. Get it into your heart, not into your head, but into your heart, into your mind, into your feet. And then you have something to to prove what the so-called professors and teachers try to ram down your throats, but they're what they tell you is not true.
Or how we need to go by God's precious word in everything. It should be the touchstone for everything.
Whoever is wrong, God is right. Let us remember that. And whatever is wrong, God is right. And so then, if you need understanding, dear young people, is found here. Read Psalm 190, Meditate upon those verses we've read. You'll find how to get understanding and you'll know then how to combat these evils that you're faced with in the school or college, wherever it is.
So that's all I have in my heart, just wanted to proofs that the word of God does not contradict itself.
And for that sake of a dear old sister, I thought I had better mention this fact about the atoning suffering of Christ. We get it doing not in Hebrews 2, the suffering of death.
Peter did not witness that scene, but he did witness the Lord's suffering. He on earth is a man. And so he got the two aspects of the death of Christ in those two psalms. Christ suffering as a victim for sin under the hand of God and God and rather the Lord Jesus Christ suffering as a martyr for righteousness sake under the hand of man. And for that he calls down vengeance from God upon them. But then in Luke 23 the offers salvation.
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All the wondrous love and grace of His heart is His Father. Forgive them their salvation for them.
If they'll only have it, Father, forgive them. And I say again, before you and I can ever be forgiven, the Lord had to go through all that awful suffering of Calvary, not only under the hands of wicked men, but under the hand of a holy God. And he did it, beloved friends, for your sake and for mine, and we can never thank Him enough.
We're just looking at a few thoughts, brethren, from First Chronicles.
First Chronicles, chapter 12.
In verse 32.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were 200 and all their brethren were at their commands.
The 38th verse. All these men of war that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.
The 13th chapter and David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader.
Unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seemed good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites, which are in the cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us. And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
Now in the next chapter, the 14th chapter and the.
Nine First now the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raphiam. And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? And again the 13th verse. And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. Then David inquired again of God.
Then in the 15th chapter.
And the.
The first two verses and David made him houses in the city of David and prepared a place for the ark of God.
And pitched for an attempt. Then David said none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites.
For them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.
And now in the 16th chapter and the first verse.
So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the 10th that David had pitched for it. And they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone, a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flag and a wine.
I just thought of this little portion, brethren.
Spring before us, a wonderful time in Israel's history, was indeed a time of great rejoicing. For a long time David had been rejected, as we know, and haunted us all. But at last the time had come that David was to have his rightful place. He was to be honored. He was to be acknowledged as God's king, king over all Israel. And so we've had in our chapter in Hebrews 2, we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels.
Suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. And although he hasn't taken his place publicly as it's been brought before us now, how wonderful that you and I can and do seek by grace to give him the place of honor that's due to him. And that's the reason we've been here, just as those in our chapter. And they were there three days, eating and drinking for their brethren had prepared for them what was their purpose in being together. Well, it was to give David his rightful place to honor him.
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And I think we can say in some little measure, this has been our desire, this has been what we have sought to do.
Emmys 3 days together hasn't been to have any man before us, but to exalt the one who we're reminded is only alone worthy of exaltation. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, and what a joy has been to us to seek to give him that place.
We've been thankful too, for those that we read up here, men of understanding and those who had a perfect heart and could keep rank, those who sought by the grace of God to bring these precious things before us. But I believe there's also a warning here, brethren. After all this wonderful, happy occasion, we find that David, perhaps overjoyed by all the happiness of this wonderful time, he forgets to ask the Lord.
And he turns to his brethren. He consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader, and said, now I have it in my heart to bring up the ark of God. Would this be the thing to do? And so they decided to do it as the Philistines had done it. He made a new, new cart, and the ark was placed upon that new cart that he had made. And they sought to bring up the ark in man's way.
They didn't turn to the Lord and seek His Word for it, and they consulted with captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader. And now perhaps after this very, very happy time together, we might fail to turn to the Word of God for direction for our pathway. We are very thankful for all the help and instruction that God has given us from His precious Word from the ministry in these meetings. But brethren, let me say again how important.
And that the word of God should be our guy. How important that we should turn.
And we think, well, it was such a happy occasion, and they were all there and giving David his place. But at so soon afterwards the Word of God was not consulted. And they followed a pattern that had actually been set by the Philistines, their enemies. And how easy it is for us, without perhaps realizing it, to follow thoughts and ideas from this world instead of from the Word of God.
Well, they attempted to bring up the ark, as we know, and then the oxen stumbled, and ASA put forth his hand to steady the ark, and he was smitten. And so it tells us that the ark was carried into the House of Obed. Edom didn't actually get up on that occasion because they weren't bringing it up in God's appointed way. The oxen stumbled. This man put out his hand. What was wrong with this new cart?
Well, as we see later, God's plan was that the ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites. Perhaps we could say in this way that it was lifted high above the heads of these men, and surely as anyone was looking, instead of seeing two men driving a cart.
They just saw above all the crowd that Ark which represented the Lord Jesus, for the Ark was the meeting place between God and His people. Man's way was to exalt 2 men, to bring this our cup and to make much of this new cart that had been made, and God was not pleased with that.
And rather than anything that gives man a place that belongs to the Lord, is but to rob him.
Of that blessed place of which he alone is worthy. But now there's something very interesting and instructive here, that when this happened, we know that David was displeased and afraid. But it says in this 14th verse of the 13th chapter. And the ark of God remained with the family of Oban Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. Why does the Spirit of God mention this? Well, I think there's something to encourage us in this.
Perhaps there have been some mistakes made in things that we do, perhaps mistakes made that have upset some, and we might be cast down and sad. But here we find something very lovely. The ark of God was brought into the House of this man, and he received a special blessing. And rather than the failures of God's people don't need to, as the world says, get us down, the failures of God's people should but cast this afresh upon the Lord.
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They're humbling indeed, and the sorrows that come in among the people of God are surely most humbling, and it makes us bow our heads in shame as we see how we have failed to answer to the Lorde claims. But all, let's not give up because of the failures of the people of God. Here was a man.
And because the ark had been brought up in this way, the wrong way, and because the oxen had stumbled in US, had put forth his hand, we see here was a man that got a blessing from that. And why? Well, if there was failure collectively, he wasn't going to allow his own heart to be robbed of his portions. All, brother, this is sweet. This is what we need. Are there things to discourage you? Perhaps in the assembly, perhaps there are things that cast you down. You say, why was this done in such a way?
The Lord can actually turn it into a blessing. He can actually cause you to seek the Lord and to get a blessing out of the very sorrows and trials that come in among the people of God. I was just enjoying today noticing how that when the people fell into the worship of the golden calf and Moses took the ark and pitched it, a fox took the the Tabernacle rather and pitched it outside the camp a far off from the camp.
Now then, it tells us that after this the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. The failure of the people of God collectively cast Moses afresh upon the Lord, and he had an experience that he wouldn't have had otherwise.
Oh, brethren, may the Lord grant that these trials that do come in may drive us afresh into His presence. And He can bless us. He wants to bless us. It's the Father's joy to bless, and He delights in the blessing of His people. Well, now in the next chapter.
The reason I read these two verses is because the Philistines now came up against Israel. Now, whenever there's failure among the people of God, the Philistines are always busy. They're always ready, willing to make an attack. And just when we're down, when we're discouraged and saw the Philistines make an attack and David inquired of the Lord. And so I believe perhaps we could say we have two things, the reading of the Word and prayer.
He should have turned to the Word in the 1St place, and we'll see he did in the next chapter. But in the meantime, we have prayer brought before us. And so when the Philistines attack David, instead of getting occupied with the failure of God's people, he inquired of the Lord. He inquired of him, Is it your custom and mine to turn to the Lord, to inquire of him, as David said, to behold one thing of my desired of the Lord that will I seek after.
That I may behold the beauty of the Lord, That I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. And so here we find that David, in spite of the failure, and yeah, his own failure too, for all part of it, brethren, let's not say somebody else failed. We're all part of the common failure of the people of God. And so David inquired of the Lord.
Well, the first signs attacked the second time. Now Philistines will never give up. They always know. They're a picture to us in the Scripture of the enemy's power from within. They attacked the second time and David didn't say, well, now we know how to handle them. We've handled that situation in a certain way last time. We don't need to ask the Lord now. We've got a precedent. We just do the same thing again. Oh no, He inquired the Lord the second time, and the Lord told him a different way the second time.
And the situation might have looked the same, but there were some differences about it that he didn't perceive. But the Lord knew. And so when he inquired, the Lord told him how to handle a second situation. And there are situations that arise where it's a question of discernment. And the Lord alone can give that discernment. He only can give us to see how that which is behind the workings of the enemy. And so there was discernment given to David and.
The Lord undertook for them and delivered them the second time. And now when we come to the 15th chapter.
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We find that David didn't go and ask the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader.
David do on this occasion, No, this is very lovely. I believe the second verse. Then David said, none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and a minister unto him forever. Where did David find this out? He had before asked the captains of thousands and hundreds, and every leader, and they seemed agreed, agreed in a wrong course.
But when he simply turned to the Word of God, here was the plain and clear instruction of God. God had said long ago how the ark was to be carried, and so the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the Levites. As I said, far above the head of man and Heather, our glories connected with the person of Christ. There are wonders associated with His work that are beyond human comprehension.
He is above all these poor minds of ours, and we're to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
We are not told who the man were that carried the ark. There were a number of men mentioned here, but we're not told. We're just told that the Lord helped the Levites that carried the ark. Oh, isn't this lovely? God doesn't attract attention to man. He may use man, He may use you, He may use me. It's a privilege to be used, but none of us should be occupied with our own importance just to lie at His feet ready to be used of Him. He wants empty vessels. So the names of the men that had drove the Carter mentioned, but.
As a one of the one of the men.
Who drove the car had to be smitten, and because he was in too prominent a place. But all how different here the Lord helped them. They carried the ark. It was brought up to the place where God would have it to be brought from the House of Obed Edom, right up to Jerusalem, and placed in the tent that had been prepared for it. And now how David could rejoice, how he could thank God for this.
And so I was just thinking of what we have in the first part of this 16th chapter. So they brought the ark of God and said it in the midst of the 10th that David had pitched for it. And they burnt sacrifices, and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings.
What is the burnt sacrifice speak of? Oh, it's what the work of Christ is to God.
What does the peace offering speak of? Well, it could be called the communion offering. Isn't it grand to be occupied with what the work of Christ is to the heart of God? To be occupied with Him, not with ourselves, and to present in worship that which is so acceptable, so pleasing to Him? And then our own souls it was. It was brought before us to be able to rest in peace, to be able to enjoy in peace and communion with Him.
His thoughts not ours. So we have a very happy gathering. We see the danger of man being before us, but we see the blessedness when there is prayer, when there is the reading of the Word, when there is the following of that word in obedience. And now what a scene of blessing we get. And so it tells us here in the second verse. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people.
In the name of the Lord. And he dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone, a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine. Oh brethren, how lovely for this occasion, if they had just gone away and thought only as a fellowship that we read about back there in the 12Th chapter, why they they would have, and they did.
Rely upon man, but after they had learned these precious lessons that are set before us in these intervening chapters. Now we come to a very lovely occasion. They leave and David now gives to everyone a portion and rather than these meetings are coming to an end. We're soon going to have to leave and go to our various homes and the Lord wants us to carry home a portion. He doesn't just want us to say, well, it was nice to look into the faces of our brethren and you enjoy fellowship.
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And we had some good teaching and we had some nice portions. He wants to teach us, brethren, are those things that we can still carry with us? We can still have his word, we can still walk in dependence upon Him and we can carry. And it says here both man and woman. It's not very often that this is mentioned particularly in the Scripture. It quite often mentions men, but it's a, it's a special occasion when it mentions man and women.
And so how lovely here there are brothers, here there are sisters, here there are young boys and young girls, and there's a portion for each one to carry home. We're going back to our homes. Are we going to receive from the hand of the true day of the Lord Jesus Aloha of bread?
A good piece of flesh doesn't say just a piece of flesh, but a good piece of flesh that is. The loaf of bread perhaps springs before us, the Lord Jesus.
As the bread of life, the piece of flesh means that we can have an enjoyment of even deeper truths. There is what the Scripture speaks of has strong meat belongs to them who are of full age, even to those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
And then there was the flagging of wine. There's that joy which the Lord gives in the heart and that we can go. And that verse in Nehemiah is so precious. The joy of the Lord is your strength. It's often been commented, but perhaps it's worth repeating, that it's not our joy in the Lord. It's his joy and his people that is brought before us. I think when we missed that, why? And we missed a great deal because.
We might say, well, my joy is often down, but it's his joy and his people, brethren, that's the important thing. And I've often used a very simple illustration, pardon my repeating it, but it helps to understand perhaps what it is when it says the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Opposing that, you're invited over to a friend's house for the evening, and it turns out to be a very stormy evening.
And you say, oh, it's such a bad evening, let's not go. Let's just tell them that we can't go this evening. It's in a bad evening. And then the phone rings, your friends on the line. And he says, oh, are you going to come over tonight? We're really looking forward to it. We planned on it. It'll give us great pleasure if you come over. Please come. Something happens to you. You get a fresh surge of strength. You get, as it were, as the world would say, a shot in the arm. And you feel all new at once. And you feel all we must go.
They want to have us. We must go. And so you get that new surge of strength, brethren. That's what keeps us going on. The Lord wants us. The Lord wants us around himself. He wants us to enjoy the portion that we have in Him, and He wants to deal to each one of us as we leave these meetings.
Piece of bread, a good piece of flesh, And not just a little cup of wine, a flagon of wine.
A good share of it. He wants us to go away rejoicing in our portion from His hand.
Divine, all praise and selling joy of heaven to earth and down Bless us with our riches flowing, all thy faithful mercy sprout, Savior Thee we'd still be blessing.
Certainly here as soon above.
Praise the Savior without ceasing glory and thy dying love.
296.
One divine operation.
Down.
Wrap down the square one of my breath.