Address—G. Hayhoe
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Exodus Chapter 15.
Verse 17 Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance.
In the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established, And then let's turn over to Exodus 25.
Exodus chapter 25, the first verse.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering, every man that giveth it willingly With his heart he shall take my offering.
And the eighth verse, and let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell.
Among them, according to all that I show thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle.
And the pattern of all the instruments thereof, Even so shall ye make it.
And then in Psalm 96, I believe it is.
Psalm 96.
And the sixth verse.
Honor and honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord. O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Well, as I said, I'd like to speak a little bit about the Sanctuary. I believe in the scripture. It's something like Shiloh. Shiloh was a person, and Shiloh was also a place in Genesis. It speaks of that the Lawgiver would not depart from Judah, nor the ruler from that that tribe, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
And then when they entered the land, there was a certain city that was called Shiloh. Directions were given in the end of Joshua showing us that it was a place, a geographical place that had to be found. And so we know that there is a person, and there is a way that we can gather that according to his precious word, what a blessed thing it is for us brethren, to enjoy individually his presence.
And also to know that we can gather in a way that is pleasing and honoring to him.
I believe it's the most wonderful portion that we can have. As one is often said, to have. The enjoyment of His presence, individually and collectively is really the sweetest thing that we can have if we lose, If we lose that, we really lost everything that is worthwhile. Christian fellowship is very lovely. We read in the second chapter of Luke about when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth and was a boy.
That it was the habit of his parents to go up from year to year to Jerusalem. That was the place where the Lord had put his name. And we read of how and the Lord Jesus was 12 years of age that he tarried behind and was talking to the doctors. And it says that his father and his mother went a day's journey and found that he wasn't among the company. And sometimes when I read that, I think how easy it is for us to.
Come up, let 2 occasions like this and have a nice happy time and really enjoy.
Fellowship together and go away and take a day's journey without him.
Maybe just thinking about how nice it had been if I could picture them as they traveled home.
They talk to one another of how wonderful it was to have been up there at Jerusalem, how they had seen that temple so glorious that even the disciples showed it to the Lord. And they could have talked about all those whom they had met, the nice conversations they had had. But they took a day's journey without him. And I say we can enjoy the fellowship which many of us have enjoyed here together, and yet we can go on without him.
And so they turned back, and it took three days before they found him.
And they found him just where they had left him. There he was. He was in the temple.
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And there they found him. And so if we find that we have been going along without him, perhaps just satisfied to say, well, I'm in the meeting and I enjoy fellowship with the Lord's people, but there isn't that personal communion with the Lord. It's worth two to three days journey back to find out where the point was, where we missed him, where we got so occupied with the nice times that we could have, and the good fellowship.
That we actually lost sight of the Lord. Well, I just mentioned this because.
I hope it's in context with what we're going to speak about. It was a little mentioned about this this morning, our brother.
Brother Buchanan brought this a little bit before us about the sanctuary and so on, but I'd like to speak of it in this way and then look at some of the Psalms that have to do with this side of things too, going back to that passage that we read in Exodus chapter.
15 We know the story very well.
How the children of Israel were in slavery in the land of Egypt. There they were under the cruel taskmasters.
There they were, and they cried out to the Lord, And the Lord in his goodness provided deliverance for them. He sheltered them from the judgment by the blood that was sprinkled on the lentil and the two side posts. I hope each one here this afternoon has taken shelter under the precious blood, for nothing else will shelter from judgment. Nothing else will cleanse from sin. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. There's no other shelter. There's no other way of escape from judgment.
And He not only sheltered them from judgment, but He also provided A feast for them in their homes.
He gave them assurance so that they didn't have to wait till the moment the Destroyer passed through. They knew beforehand that they were safe. They could just rest in those homes and say we're safe. Because Jehovah said when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Is there a doubting Christian here? God doesn't want you to doubt. He wants you to rest upon His word. If you're if you've received them as your savior, you're safe. But He wants you also to be sure.
One should have peace, but then too, there was a peace, and there was provision how they could enjoy that feast. Brethren, he wants us to be happy Christians, Mr. Darby once said. Our testimony to the world is our joy in the Lord. This world is full of misery and sorrow, and they're looking for somebody that has found happiness and found a way of getting it. And they ought to see in US that we have. They ought to see in US that we have a portion that really feels and satisfies our hearts.
A glorious person, the person that we talked about this morning, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead is pleased to dwell, is the one who is our Savior, the one who designs to fill our hearts with peace and joy. And so there was also this beast, and then there was the deliverance out of Egypt. They went through the Red Sea, and it tells us in Galatians chapter 2 That the Lord Jesus died, that he might deliver us from this present.
Evil world according to the will of God and our Father. He didn't intend to leave them back there in Egypt.
He intended that they should be outside of that, but as they.
Cross the Red Sea they could rejoice and sing. And then there was the.
Wilderness path. Before them, there were those 40 years, 40 years, as one is often said.
To learn the two great lessons of Christian life, our own.
Weakness and helplessness and the all sufficiency of Christ. That's what God told them.
As they look back upon the wilderness, they were to remember all the way the Lord had LED them to humble them.
And to prove them and to show them what was in their hearts. And also he said that they would prove that the Lord would provide, He did provide the manna how he provided the water their clothes didn't wear out, took care of them all the way.
And rather than the two things that God teaches us in our wilderness pathway, our own helplessness, we're slow to learn this, but His own all sufficiency and how blessed this is. I don't say we have learned it, but these are the lessons that He is seeking to teach us along the way.
And at the point where we read here they have just crossed the Red Sea, they look back.
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They see all their enemies dead upon the seashore and they break out in song. And surely we ought to be singing too. We have the little hymn that says this is my story, this is my song, praising my savior all the day long. He's given us every reason to praise him and thank him, And it's very interesting as we read through this, how they.
As it were passed over the whole wilderness. Notice the 13th verse.
Thou in thy mercy has led forth the people whom thou hast redeemed. Thou hast guided them in thy strength. Unto thy holy habitation, 40 years of experiences were ahead. But this is in the past tense. And the captain of our salvation is not going to let one of his own fall. By the way, he's going to bring many sons home to glory and so.
Triumphant song here in the 15th chapter of Exodus, they're singing as though the wilderness.
Were all past. A lot of experiences followed, experiences that were very humbling.
Experiences that were very wonderful too as they proved God's goodness. But now we come to this verse that we read the 17th verse.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in.
In the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established.
What is a sanctuary? Well, they have bird sanctuaries. They have animal sanctuaries in. In those sanctuaries, the birds or animals are protected. It's a place of security for them. Well, we go through a world that's full of enemies, but there is a place of security for us, and that is in the Lord Jesus. He is our strength and our song. He's become our salvation. He's everything to us.
And so he is our sanctuary, and we know that.
It speaks here of them coming into that promised land and that is what is referred to.
The place for thee to dwelling in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
Ask Canaan that it's talking about and how wonderful that for us.
We look forward to a time of eternal rest, a time when God himself shall wipe away all tears out of all faces.
When we, as it says, his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads, that's what it's going to be at the end of the journey. That's how glorious it will be when, as you notice the word, sanctuaries here in the capital. And I believe the thought is that the Lord himself wanted to bring them in and plant them there, He wanted them to enjoy his full provision for them.
We know that they place themselves under conditions that they couldn't keep, and they spoiled it. But that was his purpose for them. That's what he wanted to do for them. And in the coming day he's going to fulfill that. And his people will lie down safely, and they will all be blessed. You know how blessed for us to look on to that time, brethren, when we'll be there and when we'll enjoy those things, it's all of himself. Thou shalt bring them in and plant them which thou hast made for thee.
For thee to dwell in notice, for thee to dwell in because he wants.
The company of his people. He came down to have the company of Adam and Eve, but they hid from him.
But he has provided for us something even more glorious than arrests on earth. He's provided, as we sang in the hymn, the rest of God our rest to come, our place of liberty. Sometimes I like to think of it like this, as though God looked down when man spoiled it by sin and said you spoiled the rest, that I wanted you to enjoy the place where I could walk in the garden and commune with you. You've spoiled it by your rebellion and sin.
But I am going to invite you to a place you can't spoil, and I'm going to pay the price so you can be there over Ethan. If we just get hold of these thoughts, they'll fill our hearts. They'll make us realize what our portion really is. And so this was what the Lord desired for His people. And he wants us to live in the constant enjoyment of that glorious future that awaits us. But He also wants us to be.
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In a present enjoyment of himself.
And of his company. So if you turn over to this 25th chapter of.
Exodus.
Here we find that the people have been redeemed. They have been brought out. In the meantime. They had asked for the law and placed themselves under it. But if they had been under pure alloy, it would have been certain judgment.
No, when Moses came down from the mount with the tables of stone in his hand.
Why the people had broken the first commandment. They were worshipping the golden calf. And so Moses broke the stones at the foot of the mound. Because if those commandments had been brought into the camp, it would have been judgment on everyone, and are not into judgment with thy servant. For in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified. So he broke them, and he went up. And he said, Peradventure, I shall make an atonement for you.
Well, the Lord told Moses he couldn't make an atonement, but he did.
Give him the whole pattern of things in the heavens, because out of the Tabernacle is spoken of as a pattern of things in the heavens. And so Moses went back, and God provided a way that he could go on with a guilty people, and he gave him the pattern for the Tabernacle. He gave them all the instructions, and said to him, See that thou make it according to the pattern which is showed thee on the mount. So when Moses came down the second time.
His face was shining. He had other tables of stone, exactly the same as the ones that had been broken.
But they were placed in the ark, and on top of the ark was the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled. God hadn't changed. His standard was exactly the same.
God's holy law could not be changed, but grace had provided a way that he could go on with him, a picture of his provision and so Moses face could shine. And so this is the instruction given here in this 25th chapter of Exodus.
Where it tells us that.
That those who?
Those that says speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering. Every of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart he shall take my offering. He were, as I say, a redeemed people. They were brought out. God made provision now to go on with them. And now doesn't this produce something in your heart? You and I, brethren, are not under law. We're under grace.
We didn't come to these meetings because we had to, but because we wanted to be over the word to learn more about our blessed Lord and Savior. Christianity is liberty, holy liberty, and so they would offer willingly. And we often sing in that little hymn love that transcends our highest powers, demands our soul, our life, our all. Can you stop for 5 minutes and think of what the Lord has done for you?
And not feel something tugging at your heart that you want to give willingly to the Lord. Are you saying, oh, it's hard to be a Christian? It's hard to let him be Lord in your life? Not if you think of how much He loves you, not if you think of what he's done for you. Thou in thy mercy has LED forth thy people whom thou hast redeemed. Or just think of the cost. The cost we spoke of a little this morning, the forsaking, the bearing of sin, and the place of nearness that we have been brought into.
And so.
Knowing this now, it tells us here that these people were to bring an offer willingly, and then it says, and let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. He wants your company. He feels grieved when he doesn't have our company, and he it's going to be his enjoyment, tells us that in that coming day he shall joy over thee with singing. He shall rest in his love.
I like the way the little hymn puts it. He and I, in that bright glory, 1 deep joy shall share.
Mine to be forever with him. His that I am there. When we love our children, our families, those dear to us, how we just enjoy it so much to be in their company. Oh, they're coming home. They're going to have a nice time. What are they going to do? Well, I don't know, but we're just going to have a nice time because they're there. And how wonderful. That's why God, in describing heaven, gives very, very brief description about it. But rather his servant shall serve him and they shall see his face and his joy is going to exceed ours.
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That I may dwell among them, but there was a pattern.
And the pattern was to be followed exactly, says in another place that God said to Moses, See thou make it according to the pattern which I showed to thee on the mount. And I want to ask you, were you just patterning your life according to your own plan, or is the expression of your heart like with Saul of Tarsus? Lord, what will thou have me to do? I need to ask myself that when we make our plans for the day.
Even as to how we gather, because this was to be the gathering place and the Tabernacle was pitched, it says everyone that sought the Lord went out unto the Tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. And so it's the it's a person. And so they weren't to do their own planning. It was to be exactly according to God's plan. Well, you say that would make it kind of hard. You think the person that loved you enough to die for you.
Is trying to deprive you of something that's for your good.
Why? Everything that he gives is a positive apex. It's the best that heaven can give.
Even when we look at this world, how wonderful God's creation.
Get up in the morning and see the beautiful sunrise and all the wonders of God's creation. Don't you often stop sometimes and marvel how everything is so wonderful in the creation? Everything is lovely. Man has spoiled it. But as God made it, how how beautiful. And the plan that he has made for salvation, how glorious, costs us nothing. Salvation is a gift. And then to that he's made a plan.
How his people could gather, he said. How they were to pitch their tents around this Tabernacle when it was set up, Did they plan themselves? No, it was all planned of God.
You know, it's rather strange sometimes that any Christians, and I believe many of them, have a real desire to please the Lord, have never really asked the Lord how He would have them to assemble.
There's a common expression in Christendom. Go to the Church of your choice as though you followed God's plan up to the time you get saved, and then from then on you kind of.
Take over with your own ideas about how you're to serve the Lord and how you're to gather. It was your planning then. Now in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. So we find them the sanctuary after they had crossed the Red Sea. He says that he would guide them to the sanctuary, and I believe it's a picture of the blessing that God has in store for Israel.
In a coming day when he finally brings them into blessing and when they'll have to say.
We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth. That's what they'll say, and they'll just have to.
Thank the Lord that he's done it all, and so with us too. We have been redeemed. How are we making the sanctuary for the Lord?
Are we enjoying his company and walking in such a way that he can walk with us and that we can hold sweet communion with him? What a great privilege that is, and turn over to that verse that we looked at in the Psalms, the 96th Psalm again.
Psalm 96.
Honor in verse 6. Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord.
Oh ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength, Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, bring an offering, and come into his courts, says Honor and majesty are before him strength and beauty.
Are in his sanctuary. We often feel pretty helpless in the pathway of life.
But here we have the sanctuary now, and it says honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary, and what we often find, that renewed strength. I can remember when I was employed how sometimes the pressure of work would get pretty difficult. And then I just go to the meeting and you just seem to get a lift. You seem to get a fresh supply of strength. Just perhaps it wasn't anything special, it was said.
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But you just sat there in the Lord's presence, saying, some of the hymns that give glory to him, you've got to relift, and he got strength. You got a fresh view of the Lord because he's altogether lovely. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. And then when you get that, then it says, give, give unto the Lord for you kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. God told his people Israel, None shall appear before me empty.
I've heard Christians say, well, I've come to the meeting, but I didn't get anything. Well, there are times, perhaps, when.
Perhaps there are times when we come together and there does seem little food in God's house. But we ought to come, brethren, as givers. We ought to come as givers. That's the way Mary came. There were a lot of people that had many wrong thoughts when Mary came because they found fault with her for what she did. But she wasn't occupied with all those people that were finding fault she wasn't occupied with.
Things about her. But she was thoroughly taken up with the Lord, and she broke that alabaster box appointment and poured it upon the feet of the Lord Jesus, upon his head. Oh, how wonderful, it says the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. And sometimes it just takes one person in the assembly who's really enjoying the Lord to bring a blessing to the whole assembly. And it doesn't have to be a brother because Mary didn't say a word.
Not a single word. She just did that. And I believe that there is something that each one of us can bring.
Like the Israelite who brought his basket of firstfruits and presented it before the Lord.
He reminded himself of how he was Assyrian, ready to perish, told the Lord how he had brought him out from Egypt, and his heart was just full of praise. How when you how can you and I sit in his presence and receive what we receive and not want to make some return, some return, give unto the Lord, Ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength, Mary might have said, well, it's kind of a fault finding group. You try to do something and they find fault, but she didn't say a word.
She didn't say a word. She just left it all because the Lord knew her heart. And that ought to be a joy to us. The Lord knows our hearts. We do things sometimes, and maybe they're not appreciated. Maybe sometimes we do, and I'm sure we all do make mistakes. But isn't it good that the Lord makes a right appraisal of everything and so?
They found fault with Mary, but she didn't say a word. And then the Lord spoke up and he said.
That are alone, she has wrought a good work on me. She had the Lord's approval.
Well, I believe in her soul. She was in the sanctuary, she was in the enjoyment of his presence, and so she was there as a giver, Give unto the Lord the glory, do unto His name, bring an offering, and come into His courts. Well, here we have the thought of the sanctuary, I think particularly except associated with the Lord Himself. And because, as I say, I believe the sanctuary is.
A place, and it's also a person. A place wouldn't mean anything apart from the person.
There's an empty house back in where we live. But if I went home and none of my loved ones entered there, it's just an empty house to me. But when the person whom I love is there for them, it becomes a home, becomes a place where I like to be. It's the person that makes it's true, it's a certain address, and I could tell you what the address is, but it's the person that makes the place and that's what it is.
In the scripture, it's the person who makes the place. Well, I'd like to turn to a few psalms here.
First of all, Psalm 73.
I'd like to look at 3 Psalms here.
7374 and 77 and I'd like to look at them in different ways. Three what is disturbing the psalmist is the prosperity of the wicked. In the 74th it's trouble in the sanctuary, in the assembly, and then in the 77th it's infirmity. I find many, many Christians get discouraged. Sometimes I get discouraged, and I guess we all do at times get discouraged.
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And I think sometimes these three things bring before us. We see people that seem to get away with things as we say, and that bothers us. How could that person get away with something so wrong? And that upsets us and we get discouraged. And it seems the Lord doesn't intervene. That's the 73rd. The 74th is they'd burned up the they've done wickedly in the sanctuary and they burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. In other words, there was an attack.
That spoiled the place where God's people assembled and then last of all infirmities, perhaps physical infirmities that come upon us. We get discouraged because of these things that come into our personal lives, but we find that the answer is getting into the Lord's presence, and I believe it's important that we do. And if there are some who are in situations like this.
If you would just get into the Lord's presence, I believe that you would.
Have the answer and that he would give you peace because the sanctuary, as I said, is a place of peace and rest and protection.
A bird sanctuary is where the birds are protected and where they know that the enemy can't intrude in that particular spot. And isn't it wonderful here that God has provided such a place for us? So let's read the first part of this 73rd Psalm. Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But As for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nice slip.
For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm.
They are not in trouble as other men. Neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore, pride encompasses them about as a chain.
Violence covered with them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart what could wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue locketh through the earth. Therefore his people return, hit her, and waters of a full cup are rung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning.
When I say I will speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of Thy children.
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I therein.
The 22nd verse, so foolish was I, an ignorant I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee, thou hast told in me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Perhaps you felt like this sometime. Jeremiah felt like this. He tried to be faithful to the Lord. The Lord gave him a message and he tried to be faithful in delivering it. And he said, Lord Noah said it would be well with the remnant.
But everybody hates me. They just don't like the things that I'm saying. And I'm trying to speak a message from thee. And he felt very discouraged, even went as far as to say, wilt thou be unto me altogether as a liar and as waters that failed. Just think how discouraged poor Jeremiah got John the Baptist when God let the wicked triumph over him and he got into prison, even went so far as to send a message and say.
Art thou he that should come? Or do we look for another? And there may be somebody just like that, somebody that was doing what was wrong and mean and everything. They seemed to be prospering. And your feet are just about slipping because it upsets you so much and you're allowing it to spoil your joy in the Lord. You're letting it come between you and the Lord. I guess many of us have experienced things like this. We're ashamed of ourselves.
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About some of the things that come into our minds when things like this happen. But here God has put it right down in His word and let us know, in words inspired by the Holy Ghost, exactly how David felt when he looked at the prosperity of the wicked. He said my foot will not slip, he said. They don't seem to have trouble. Things seem to go well for them. But I have cleansed my hands. I've tried to do what was right.
And I've had nothing but problems and trouble. Know the enemy comes in on times like that, and he tries to get us discouraged, and we ask the reason why. But God doesn't always answer everything here. In that coming day, brethren, we shall know as also we are known. There are many, many things that happen in life that we'll never get the answer for down here.
Many times think of.
Uriah the Hittite murdered through the unkindness of David and he never understood in his whole lifetime.
Why? God would allow that? But he's mentioned among God's mighty man. And so there are things that happen that we have to wait for the answer. Where? What did the psalmist do here? Did he find the answer to it all? He says I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I therein. What is the sanctuary? Oh, just like it says in the 4th chapter of Philippians, it says.
Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. That's the answer God gives. You can't understand that he gives you a peace. Nothing has been set right. Nothing was set right for Uriah the Hittite. And sometimes things are set right, and sometimes there are. But when you go into the sanctuary of God.
Then you just leave it all to the coming day. And Paul said that he committed everything to the Lord. He said, I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Many apply that to salvation, and very blessedly it is true of salvation. I've committed my soul and my eternal destiny to the Lord. But you can commit more than that. You can commit all the things that happen in life.
Hard to understand. All those in Asia turned away from Paul. He was hurt, but he says I just committed to the Lord. My responsibility is to go on and leave matters with the Lord. And that's the conclusion that he comes to in the end I just mentioned here.
It says here in this.
15th verse Well, the 14th verse, for all day long have I been plagued and chastened Every morning if I say I will speak thus I should offend against the generation of thy children, he said. I feel that way, but I don't say it because a lot of people be offended if I said it. But that was the way he felt. He couldn't understand it and it says in the 10th verse. Therefore his people return hit her.
And waters of a full cup were run out to them. Remember the case of Jehoshaphat? He decided that he would step from a path of devotedness to his Lord and join affinity with Ahab at all. Ahab made a big feast. Oh, he said, that's grand. Come on, we'll have a great time. And so he goes along with a sad consequences came out of that. But the world will always welcome you when you step down to their level.
They'll make a big fuss over you. They'll tell you're a great person. But what about the Lord? What does he think of it? It's his approval that counts. It's what he thinks about it that counts. But now, passing on down to the 22nd verse, he says so. Foolish was I, and ignorant I was as a beast before thee, that is an animal just lives for time. And he said, when you and I don't look beyond this world, we're just living like a beast.
A beast lives for time, but he says, These words are so beautiful and touching. Nevertheless, I am continually with the Thou hast told in me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Doesn't sound like the same person who's talking in the first part of the song, does it? An entirely different tune now Why?
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He got into the sanctuary, got into the place of rest. Peace of God is flooding his soul. And now he can say Lord told him my hand, he's holding my hand. And he said I want his counsel, I want his plan. Even if I do have to suffer, I'm going to say Lord, Thy name is wonderful, counselor. And he said an afterward received me to glory said, whom have I in heaven but thee?
And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. What a change the same person.
But he got into the sanctuary. Is there a discouraged person here? And somebody seems to be doing wrong and getting away with it, as you say.
You only think they're getting away with it in view of eternity. It's loss if it's not the will of God, but just to go on and made misunderstanding. Think of our precious Savior. At the end of his life, all his disciples for suck him and fled. The people that he'd healed weren't there to speak a word for him at the cross.
But he died that we might live. What an example for us, He says. There is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. Oh, may I say to anyone who's discouraged like this, Don't give up the sanctuary. Go into the sanctuary of God. The Lord will meet you there. It's a place of protection. It's a place of rest. Make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. What touching words strength is in his sanctuary. Strength to meet those problems and difficulties.
That's where it is, but now in the 74th Psalm.
Oh God, why hast thou cast us off forever? Why doth thou anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed, this Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations, even unto all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. And it says in the seventh verse, They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.
They say in their hearts, let us destroy them. Together they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. We see not our signs. There is no more any prophet, neither is there any among us that knoweth how long in passing on in this 16th verse. The day is thine, the night also is thine. Thou has prepared the light in the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth.
Thou hast made summer and winter.
Then the 19th verse. Oh, deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked. Forget not the congregation of thy poor forever. Perhaps in a practical way I could speak of this as troubles that come into the assembly. I meet a number of people, and they are so discouraged at the problems and how busy the enemy is coming into the assembly trying to destroy it. It burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. The synagogue was the.
Assembling place for the people The temple, as we know, was the sanctuary, the place where the Lord had put His name. So we actually have the two figures here, the meeting place in the synagogue and then the sanctuary, the place where you could find rest. And I've had brethren say to me, well, I come to the meeting, but I don't seem to get rest and refreshment for my soul. Here's one that's feeling this way.
Is there any answer? Yes. God's in control. He's in control. The day is thine. The night is thine. Why is it say the night is thine? There are times when it just seems like that, but it's his. He is in control, brethren. He puts us to the test. Every one of us gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, sooner or later are going to be put to test as to why were there. Are we there because we enjoy the ministry, Because we like the people.
Well, it's awfully encouraging when you go and your soul is fed, when you can have sweet communion with the Saints. But we're put to the test as to whether we're there because the Lord is there, because it's his sanctuary and the enemy is doing his best. I believe, in these last days to destroy a testimony to the truth of God and to the precious truth of the one body, and to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. He's busy in so many places.
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And he's trying to make it so that when you come, you don't seem to get the rest and refreshment and enjoyment that he intends us to get in his presence and in the assembly where he has placed his name. But all don't get discouraged. God is faithful. And so I think it's nice how.
He speaks there, he says in the 16th verse. The day is thine. The night also is thine. Yeah, he's in control and everything sweet and lovely. We've enjoyed these meetings. Our souls have been refreshed. It's been like the day, But the night is dying too. The night is thine when darkness seems to come in, when problems beset the assembly. He's still there and he's still in control.
And so he says.
In the 19 verse, Oh, deliver not the soul of thy turtle, thou unto the multitude of the wicked the enemy would like to get us down, like to get us discouraged. He must have triumphed greatly when he got Jeremiah, that faithful prophet, to get so discouraged. He must have been triumphing when he saw his brother Lundeen brought before us yesterday, Elijah, that mighty servant of God.
Hiding down under a tree and letting his service come between him and the Lord, and blaming the people of God. Oh how he must have try them. The day is Zion, the night is thine. The Lord is in control. These things can be something used of God to draw us nearer to himself, because in the night when everything's dark, very often as a psalmist could say that we can commune with him.
Upon our bed and be still. And haven't we often found that some of the sweetest times where when we're perhaps alone in our bed, there's no distraction at all? We could have that sweet communion with the Lord. Are there trials? Lord wants to draw you nearer to himself by this. So here we have in the 73rd some person who's discouraged because he sees the prosperity of the wicked, sees people getting away with things and.
You can't understand that his feet are, well, nice. Slipping, he goes into the sanctuary of God and he says, Lord, just hold my hand. Hold my hand. Thou art my portion forever. We need that sometimes. When trouble comes in the assembly, he says, don't let the soul of thy turtle dove be turned over to the hands of the wicked. In other words, you say, well, I'm just one. But the Lord can hold your hand. He can give you peace. He can feel your heart.
Just like he filled Mary's when she came. It says everyone found fault with her, but she herself was in sweet communion with the Lord, and she didn't say a word, she just left everything with the Lord. So here we find perhaps a little picture of problems in the assembly where the enemy is trying to destroy it, trying to spoil our meeting places so that we can't come and enjoy the fellowship that we should the Lord's faithful.
There's still the Sanctuary, and still the enemy may try to intrude, but there still is the Sanctuary No 77 Some. Let's look at this.
I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ram in the night, and ceased not my soul refused to be comfort. I remembered God, and was troubled. I complain, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Thou holdest mine eyes waking. I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old.
The years of ancient times I called her remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off forever? Will he be favorable no more? This is versy clean gone forever. Does his promise fail forevermore? God forgotten to be gracious Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And I said this is my infirmity.
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But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember Thy works Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary.
Who is so great of God as thou art? A 19th verse, by way, is in the sea, and I path in the great waters, and I footsteps are not known. Thou leadest thy flock like thy people, like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Here he says in this.
10th verse This is my infirmity. Our brother was talking to us too about infirmities. He says this is my infirmity. In other words, he is some infirmity has come into his life. He thought calling to the Lord, the Lord would grant deliverance. But he said I remembered God and was troubled. Instead of really feeling relief, he turned to the Lord. But the Lord didn't take the problem, the trouble away.
And he says I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. He says he couldn't sleep in the fourth verse, and he looks back. He said It wasn't always like this. A sixth verse I called remembrance my song in the night. I commune with my own heart, and my spirit made diligent search, search. It's something like Job, you know. He just couldn't understand why God allowed him to lose his.
Well, his family, his self, his health and his friends, just everything seemed to be kind of wiped out. It was a real trial. And this is And then he accepts it. He says, this is my infirmity, and the Lord has allowed something. He allowed it with Paul. Paul had a thorn in the flesh. He calls it an infirmity. He asked the Lord three times to take it away, and the Lord's answer was.
My grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness to me. It's as though the Lord said, Paul, You're going to have it the rest of your life. It's going to be there. But you're going to learn through this to lean on me and be a dependent person. And Paul said most gladly, I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me, he said, This infirmity has been a blessing to me. It's taught me dependence. It's taught me to lean on the Lord.
It's taught me to find my support and my help in him, his ways in the sanctuary brethren. He's leading our souls not to find rest in circumstances, in health, in what goes on about us, but in himself, in himself. Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
There are situations that won't be clear this side of the glory. There are things that may remain, but the Lord will always be a sanctuary. He'll always be there. And maybe if those things cause us to turn to him and find our sanctuary, and we may not understand them, He says Thy way is in the sea and thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. We don't. There's some things we'll never understand till we get home to glory.
But we can understand that they have been made a blessing to our souls. They've brought us to the sanctuary, They've brought us into His presence. And that's where He wants us to be. And he's going to find his eternal rest in that sanctuary that awaits us. When he'll wipe away all tears, when he'll explain everything, when we shall know, even as also we are known. He doesn't want us to wait until we get to glory.
He wants to get into the sanctuary down here and I just like to close a little verse in Ezekiel.
Chapter 11.
Ezekiel, Chapter 11.
In the 16th verse, therefore say thus saith the Lord God.
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Although I have cast them far off among the heathen alloy, have scattered them among the countries, yet I will be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come, yes.
We've spoken about the sanctuary being a place, but we've also spoken of this being a person, and here things had come to the point in the history of Israel.
When they were scattered, must they say, well, there's no sanctuary now because we're scattered. We can't go to the temple. We can't go to the spot where the Lord has put His name. I will be to them a little sanctuary in all places where I have driven them. And no matter what your circumstance or mine is this afternoon, or what awaits you when you get home, because you may like those who came down from the mount.
After that glorious time on the Mount of Transfiguration, there was a man, a situation there, a man. And his child was in trouble, and the disciples couldn't handle the problem. And there may be something awaiting you that's quite beyond you. But I want to tell you this. No matter what, I will be a little sanctuary. I will be a little sanctuary. Thank God. He gives us the privilege of being in His presence collectively, but sickness problems may even hinder that.
How wonderful. He never fails. I will be a little sanctuary. Well, brethren, these difficulties do come in our lives. As we were saying, there are times when our feet well, eyes slip. There are times when we get discouraged. Things that happen in the assembly get discouraged over sicknesses and infirmities that really get us down. But he still a sanctuary. And in that coming day, as I say, when we're brought to our sanctuary in the glory above.
The servant shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their forehead. And God himself, God himself shall wipe away all tears, mouth, all faces. May he give us to enjoy more of this sanctuary now that peace, that joy that he delights, to give us, even in the midst of situations that may never change, difficulties that may not be removed, situations that can't be explained.
But he's always the same. He never fails. Jesus Christ the same yesterday.
And today and forever. So we look to him.