Address—Jim Hyland
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With me, please look at Malachi.
Malachi chapter one.
Malachi chapter one and we're going to read the 1St 2 verses.
The Burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi, I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau, Jacob's brother, saith the Lord. Yet I loved Jacob. We're gonna stop there for now. I have it on my heart this afternoon to just look at a few things in this little book. The book of Malachi, this book that ends the Old Testament.
Books. It's the last words given by inspiration before the Lord Jesus came into this world in incarnation.
It closes the Old Testament and I believe there's something very good for us to consider in a book like this.
I realize it's a book that has often been taken up, and perhaps I'd like to take it up just a little bit different this afternoon.
So often when we take up the book of Malachi we perhaps dwell, and I'm not saying it's wrong, but we perhaps dwell on, shall I say the negative side of things that which was wanting. And we're going to mention some things that we're wanting in Malachi's day and there was there was much wanting. The book of Malachi for God's people in the Old Testament is very parallel for God's people today. Write down at the end of our history, just before the Lord Jesus comes. We had something of that expressed in the meeting.
Earlier this morning in connection with the seven churches and how the last days are always described by indifference to the claims of Christ, and that everything that is committed to man breaks down and he fails utterly in. But I'd like to go through the book of Malachi very quickly this afternoon and just know and just notice how God still encourages his people and that he notices those things too that were for encouragement.
Because brother and I believe that while we don't want to be indifferent to our to the state of things in our lives, individually in our family life, or collectively as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. Yet I believe, brethren, as we've had before us already, we can still be overcomers even in these last days and difficult times. These are perilous times. These are days of utter giving up, but we can still go on for God's glory. I was thinking of how Timothy.
At the end of Paul's ministry, Paul writes to him for the last time by inspiration.
And he writes of the appalling days of giving up on every hand, not just in the world, but in the professing church. You read about perilous times there. It's not a description of the world at large. It's a description of what it crept in amongst the amongst professing Christians. But what does he say? Oh, it's you gotta give up. Just just try to go on with your head down. Oh, no, he says. But continue thou. I go back to those words time and time again. Continue thou.
In other words, he said, Timothy, don't look at the condition of things around you and blame that or use that as an excuse for personal failure in your life. And you know, it's interesting. Even before he told him continue thou as an individual in the third chapter, he says in the second chapter to go on with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. I love that because we often say the last days are characterized by individual faithfulness, and that is certainly true.
But I believe God maintains A collective side right to the end. So there's a place for us when the Lord Jesus or when Paul, my inspiration said that we were to remember the Lord till he come of sometimes said that the Lord wouldn't say till he comes if he wasn't going to provide a scriptural ground on which to do it. Lord never asked us to do something that he isn't going to himself maintain a place, a clean place where we can do it on a scriptural ground as long as he has asked us to do it. And so I'd like to take up the book of Malachi in this way and just notice a few things, perhaps make a few applications.
That I trust rather, and will encourage our hearts not to be indifferent to what we see around us, not to be indifferent to our own state of soul, or to my state of soul, but to just be encouraged to press on the few moments that are left. There are just a few moments left. We're just on the eve of the Lord's return. And won't it be worth it all when you look in his face another day, and he says, well done, thou good and faithful servant, to know that you sought to be an overcomer right to the very end.
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You know the last words that Eric Smith ever spoke to me the last time I visited him, that he could talk. He said, Jim, always remember, we can still be overcomers, not be overcome. I've never forgot that he was 100 and some years of age when he said, when he said that he'd gone on against all kinds of odds and difficulties in his Christian life for many years, but he was still enjoying the fact that we could be overcomers no matter what the situation. And so we find that the Book of Malachi is written.
At a very dark time in Israel's history, Israel was at its lowest point, morally and spiritually, Here in the Old Testament. It's the last writing by inspiration, the last and final pleading of God to his people, Israel and to this little remnant particularly, that had what's going on in the right position but a wrong condition. You know, it's possible to be in the right position, but a wrong condition.
And we're gonna notice this as we go through some of these verses and principles. You know, there were really three groups of people at this time in Israel's history. There were those who had remained in Babylon, those who did not answer to or respond to the invitation back in the book of Ezra, the call to come back to the land. And there were many godly men that remained in the land, but that for some reason they didn't respond and come back up at that time.
There were those who had come back but had degenerated into a form of things. They were going on with outward things, but it was just a mere form without the heart being engaged. And then there was this little company. It was a little remnant who were seeking to go on for the Lord's glory amidst all the darkness. And so we find here that it's the burden of the of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I said this was particularly to a little remnant. But, you know, God recognizes all his people, wherever they are. Isn't that wonderful? You know, on Lord's day, we're going to have a loaf on the table.
When we remember the Lord Jesus in death and that loath to our hearts, I trust, speaks of every believer alive on the face of the earth, there is one body. Oh yes, outwardly things have become fragmented, and man has not been faithful in endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But that doesn't change the truth that there is one body, there is one church. And so he writes the burden of the word of the Lord.
To Israel by Malachi. Now our brother Eric mentioned this morning that names in scripture have a meaning and often a significance. And it's interesting that the name Malachi means God's messenger. In other words, God had, even at this dark time, a messenger for His people because God uses His people. Aren't we thankful for messengers from God today? Are these times of weakness amongst the Lord's people? Indeed they are. But isn't it wonderful that God has His messengers?
And you know, what Malachi had to say was not very pleasant. It might not have been well received.
But they were to take it as from the Lord. Maybe someone has brought you a message from the word of God. Maybe it's hurt. Maybe it's really pricked, your conscience. Take it not from the person, but recognize that they're God's messenger, that God has a word for us. But I'm encouraged to think that right down at the end here, no matter how dark things had become, God had a message for his people. And God has a message for you and for me. This book is good for all time. God's principles don't change. The truth doesn't change.
In the New Testament, the foundation that was laid at the beginning concerning the truth of Christianity in the church, has that changed? No. Times have changed, but the truth hasn't changed. And so we find here that it's not some new revelation that Malachi brings before them, but it's to stir them up now. Notice that this is not an appeal to go back to the land like it was in the days of Ezra. This is not an appeal to build the temple.
To rise and build the temple.
Like in the days of Haggai, this isn't an appeal to build the wall like in the days of Nehemiah.
No, this is to stir their consciences and their hearts as to the moral and spiritual indifference that had come in amongst God's people. And don't we need to be stirred, brethren? Don't we need to be stirred. I need to be stirred in my soul as to these things. And so the Lord had He had a word for them, not some new Revelation brethren. If we're looking for some new Revelation right down at the end of this dispensation, we're going to be disappointed. But it's to go back and act on 1St principles.
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In fact, that was all has always been the way of blessing for God's people when we back up in the history of God's earthly people in the Old Testament.
Those times of revival and real blessing in Israel were times when they went back to what had been laid down at the beginning. And even in the history of the church. There was a revival in the 1800s because Godly men in searching the word of God went back to what had been established at the beginning. We often speak of it as recovered truth, Not fresh truth or fresh light, but recovered truth or recovered light. And so I want to warn you, because I know there's a great movement out in Christian circles today to look for something new and fresh.
Not that the word of God shouldn't be fresh to our souls at all times, but to look for some new Oregon fresh principles or like.
I believe is not only wrong, but it's very dangerous. And so it was the same, it was, it was a new truth, it was the same message to stir them up, to go back, to act on what had been established at the beginning. And then he says, I have loved you, saith the Lord. Now I believe it's very significant that Malachi begins what are very serious exhortations with a reminder of the Lord's love for them, of Jehovah's love for them.
Their response may have been very small at this time, very feeble at best.
But what was it that was really going to stir them up, just to have certain principles brought before them, If I can put it this way, as cold, hard facts, as true as it might have been? No, he wanted to make an appeal to their heart as well. And before he appeals to the conscience, he appeals to the heart. I realize the conscience always must be reached, because the conscience is the channel, but the dwelling place is the heart. And when the truth enters in that way, as we were saying this morning.
Then I believe there's going to be true blessing following. There's going to be not just a knowledge of the truth, but will be doers of the word and not hearers only. And it's so interesting to me, I I know it's often been pointed out, but it's so interesting to follow through the times from the Old Testament right to the end of the New Testament, to follow out the times when God confirmed His love to His. People always are, usually at a time when they were going on poorly.
Did he love them when they were going on? Well, indeed he did. But he knew if they were going to be stirred up to return that he had to stir them up as to his love for them. Because divine love is very different than natural love. Divine love, while it delights in the response, is not dependent on it. I say it delights in a response. My son give me thine heart, but it's consistency is not dependent on it. Natural love is to at least some degree dependent.
On something lovable in the object and to be maintained it has to have a response or it will wane and even die. But let's just notice a few. I know they've been pointed out before, but we'll just notice them in passing. We find it was read to us yesterday. I think at the beginning of the prayer meeting, it was read to us how that at the end of the wilderness journey in the book of Deuteronomy, he said it says he loved the people. All the people are in his hand. You know if that had come in the 15th of Exodus.
At the beginning of the wilderness journey, why, you'd say, of course there was Israel in the freshness of redemption and deliverance. They're singing, giving God the glory. And yes, I could see if he confirmed his love to them then. But when does that confirmation come? Not at the beginning of the wilderness journey, but at the end of it. And what kind of a journey was it? Why, it was a journey that was stained with murmuring and fault, finding and complaining and questioning the authority of God's servants and sin, and the governmental hand of God heavy upon them time and time again.
Did he love them any less on the banks of Jordan as he loved them on the banks of the Red Sea? Not for a moment. He loved them. He loved all the people. Then you come over to the book of Jeremiah, where they had he had to accuse them of adultery, because they had, uh, turned to idolatry, and it was a very serious thing. He disposed them to himself. What does it say? It says, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. His love was just as fervent for them as it when he had confirmed it to them at the end of the wilderness journey.
And then you come over here to the end of their history in the Old Testament. Did he love them any less than the days of Malachi, when there were appalling things going on even in the temple?
And the sacrifices, No. Yeah, it says, I have loved you. This is unconditional love. You know what's interesting? At the end of the Lord's pathway? It says, having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Again, notice where that confirmation comes. If he had, if it had said that at the beginning of their history and walking with the Lord Jesus, you'd say, of course, but at the end of those years that they had walked with him during his public ministry.
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He loved them unto the end. And there was plenty more failure to follow. Peter was going to deny him. Judas, an unregenerate man to the end, was going to betray him. All the disciples were going to forsake him and flee. Was his love any less than when he had called them from their occupations to follow him and be with him? No. And then we're taking up the seven churches. You know, it's interesting. There are two churches, 2 assemblies that he confirms his love to.
We are so beautiful. The first one is Philadelphia.
And you say, oh, I can understand that why he loved them in Philadelphia. They were seeking to keep his word and not deny his name. Oh, I can see why he confirmed his love to them to come to the next one, Laodicea.
Many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Did he love them any less? And laodicea because of the condition of things, no. He loved them just the same. He didn't love what they were doing. Just notice verse 10 in the middle of verse ten of our chapter. Here he says, I have no pleasure in you. You say that conflicts. You just said it just said in the first second verse he he loved them. But one is uh. One is his purpose, the other uh.
The other is their actions. He didn't love their actions, he loved them, but he didn't love what they were going on with. We sometimes say in the gospel God loves the Sinner but he doesn't love their sin. And God loves everyone of us. But he may not be pleased with the way we're going on in our Christian in our Christian pathway and so he he I have loved you, saith the Lord. And I just want to say before we pass on that I believe there's nothing will stir our hearts brethren and cause us to return to first love and 1St principles.
Like a deeper appreciation of his love for us not to be so much occupied with our response. You've heard me say this many times, but I'm going to repeat it. You know the bride in the Song of Solomon, as she's awakened in her affections to the bridegroom. What is it that awakens those affections? Being occupied with herself, with her response? To be occupied with what she is to him? No, it was to be occupied with himself.
As she enumerated his love for her, as she went over his qualities and beauties and glories, why it unconsciously awakened and affections and appreciation in her heart that at the end of it she could say he is altogether lovely. Her affections were deeper by the end of it, not because of self occupation, but because of occupation with the bridegroom. That's what's going to deepen our affections and I say if there's going to be a going on.
In the truth of God the affections must be awakened, the affections must be brought into play. And so I have loved you, saith the Lord. Then just notice verse five, it says, And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, the Lord will be magnified from the borders of Israel. Now as I say, we're just going to make some applications relevant to us today from this, from the these chapters, and I would just say as we read this.
So one of the beautiful things that brings before us, and I realize this is going to have its fulfillment in the coming day in connection with God's earthly people, Israel, and he is going to establish them in the land with borders that they've never known and appreciated before. But brethren, what it brings before my own soul this afternoon for our purposes is that the purposes of God are never going to be frustrated. God is greater than our failure. God is greater than our sin. His purposes are never going to be frustrated. The work of the enemy.
Is never gonna be frustrated, the Lord Jesus said on this rock. I will build my church in the gates of hell. Shall not prevail against it. All the failure in our personal lives and our family lives in the assembly, and I'm not excusing failure in any way, but all that failure is not going to frustrate the purposes of God. The wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain. He's working all things after the council of his own will, and can't we rest on that brethren?
You know, sometimes even when practical things arise in the assembly, things that need to be dealt with for the Lord's glory.
The tendency of our hearts is something has to be done to straighten out this problem. We've got to jump in there and get this rectified. Well, brethren, let's remember God doesn't need any one of us, all he delights to use us. And yes, we must be faithful. Sin is a thing that's not fit for the presence of God or for his people, and we need to be faithful. And there needed to be faithfulness here in the days of Malachi, what he's trying to bring before them. But in the final analysis, brethren, every purpose of God through the Lord Jesus Christ is going to be brought to fruition. We can rest in that. Why aren't we out today trying to change the world?
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And lobby against the abuses of humanity. Because we know there's one who sits on the circle of the earth and one who's in full control of everything. Isn't that true in our lives too? And in the assembly? You know, there's two verses that have been a great comfort to me in the assembly in recent years. He's head of the body and his son over his own house. There's one who's in full control and one who's going to bring it all to pass. Naomi, understanding that there was one in control of a difficult situation in her day, encouraged another.
Sit still, my daughter, until they'll see how the matter will fall. For the man will not be in rest until he bring it to pass this day. And then in verse nine, we're just going to go very quickly here. Verse nine we read. And now I pray you beseech God, that he will be gracious unto us. This has hath been by your means will he regard your person, Saith the Lord of Ho, saith the Lord of Hosts. Well, again, I just want to make a little application here. We're going to find you find all through the Book of Malachi.
There's a call to repentance. And maybe I could just say this, while I think of it, that brother, no matter what failure there has been in our lives, personally FA as families or as assemblies gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is always a way back. I'm not saying there aren't consequences, and the older I get, the more I realize the government of God is very real in our lives. But there is always a way back, and there is a path for personal faithfulness even amidst utter ruin and failure, as we've been saying on every hand. You know, I don't believe that the church collectively.
Is ever going to return to the fervor of first love. It's a point that we've noticed this morning in connection with Ephesus, a point of departure to which the Church collectively will never return. But it is possible for a person individually to be in the enjoyment of first love. Ought to be we ought to every one of us, be exercised to be in the enjoyment of First Love. We're never going to return to the Pauline days of the Church, but we ought to seek grace to go on and keep His word and not deny His name.
I trust there's no thought, even in corners of our hearts, as to being Philadelphia historically, but we ought to covet the Lord's commendation. They had His approval, and isn't that what we really covered in our souls? The Lord's approval? And so he He speaks here of beseeching the Lord and on the grounds of grace, Brethren, It is where sin abounded. Grace did much more abound, and His grace always supersedes brethren. And if there's real exercise and a looking to him, then His grace comes in. Oh, I know, as I say.
We reap what we sow. Whatsoever man soweth actually also reap. That applies to a believer just as much as an unbeliever. If we reap to the flesh corruption or sow to the flesh corruption, we're gonna reap to the flesh corruption. So we see a couple of nice examples that have often been pointed out. You know, Abraham sinned and he sinned grievously. And this world in the Middle East particularly, are still suffering from Abraham's sin. But you know, Abraham was happily restored to the Lord in his own soul. All there were consequences. And Ishmael and his descendants have become the constant enemies of the people of God.
But there was restoration and usefulness for Abraham. When David sinned, it was grievous, and a sword never departed out of his house forever. But he was a man after God's own heart. And God did use him in the blessing of his people, and used him in a very mighty way. And so God is gracious. Let's never limit the grace of God. Yes, he's holy, as we've been saying, but his grace super abounds. Well, we find at the end of the chapter 2, I'll just read the last verse, but cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male.
And voweth and sacrificed us under the Lord, a corrupt thing. For I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts. And in my name is Dre. And and my name is dreadful among the heat. And again, I just want to read this in passing to confirm what we've been saying and to realize that there is one, as we said this morning, who's in full control. You know, again, sometimes we think those who are older or those who take the oversight, they're in full control. But God has his purposes. God is in full control. You know this world.
Seems out of control on the world stage and men in high places are shaking their heads and saying where is it all going to end. But the Christian who's reading his Bible with exercise is more intelligent as to what's gonna happen in this world than all the wise worldly statesman. Because we know there's one who's going to reign in righteousness and Princess are gonna rule in judgment. The kingdoms of this world are going to be the kingdoms of our Lord in Christ and he's going to reign and bring everything under control according to his sense of what is righteous.
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And what this world should be. And so we can rest in this, but again, can't we bring it right down to our own personal situation?
Our own assembly life today to realize there's one in full control of every situation. But we're not going to make much comment on the second chapter. But suffice it to say that this whole second chapter is a rebuke and a an admonishment to those who are in a place of leadership and influence amongst God's people. It's a rebuke to the Princess. It's an appeal to the Princess. Now I realize that in the first chapter, he does. He has already spoken directly to the Princess.
But in the first chapter, it's more in connection with the people being a reflection of the print. What was in the prince's heart and what they were going on with was reflected in the people you know. That's solemn for any of us to consider who are in a place of leadership and influence.
And that solemn to think about it, stirs my own soul. It stirs my own soul to think that God looks at his people, and He saw He sees them as a reflection of those that he has placed in a place of leadership and influence amongst them. It ought to stir the souls of some of us in this room this afternoon. And I only point to my own finger. And if I have to point, I have to leave it pointed at my own heart, and leave it there.
But you know, in this chapter it is direct to the priests. And so he takes up this whole chapter. It perhaps was mentioned already in these meetings. But we're all responsible, you know, all the people of God are responsible. As we notice, this book opens to all of Israel, although he's addressing certain ones at different times, because there are those who are more responsible and those that God raises up in a place of leadership and influence amongst his people are not only more responsible, but more vulnerable to the attack of the enemy.
Because I believe that the enemy understands very clearly that if he can trip up those in a place of influence amongst the people of God, whether it's on the local assembly or on a wider sphere, not only do they miss the path, but they usually take others with them. You know, we've seen in the history of the Lord's people that sometimes those who miss the path, who have been in a place of leadership, come back by the grace of God, but they rarely, if ever, bring their followers back.
There's irreparable damage that is done, and so the enemy is busy. And perhaps that's why the Apostle Paul particularly gathered the elders at Ephesus together and gave them those words that we referred to in the 20th chapter of Acts. Because he realized that they were in a place where they could influence others, and his desire was that they would, after his departure, not be tripped up by that which was from without and that which would rise amongst the people of God.
And so this chapter rebukes and admonishes and appeals to the Princess. And it's very interesting that in the second verse he says if he will not hear it and if he will not lay it to heart, isn't that interesting. See again, he's appealing to the heart, not merely to the intellect, but he's appealing to the heart. And we find in verse five that there are those things that ought to have characterized them but weren't verse five and six. In fact, there are seven things. Just notice them quickly in passing.
He says my covenant was with him up. Notice this life then peace, the fear of the Lord, the law of truth. There was to be no iniquity in their lips. They were to walk with God, and they were to be a blessing to others, seven things that ought to have characterized them but weren't. And we see this when the Lord Jesus came in his day. You know, those who were in a place of leadership and influence ought to have been standing for rectitude and righteousness.
They were the very ones that ought to have recognized the Lord Jesus as the Messiah and pointed others to Him, the populace in Israel. But they not only Not only did they not see him or want him themselves, but they hindered others who would have entered in. And that was why it was such a serious thing for the Lord Jesus to pronounce woe. Those woes are not on the general populace of Israel. Yes, everyone is responsible individually, but those in that place of leadership were very responsible. God was going to hold them responsible because they ought to have been pointing the way.
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And as I say, standing for rectitude and righteousness, and we don't have time. But it's interesting you can trace this out if you notice in Mr. Darby's translation. Five times in this chapter he accuses the priests of being unfaithful. It's translated treacherously in the King James, but Mr. Darby translates that that they were unfaithful. Isn't that solemn to think that those who ought to have been taking oversight for the flock of God, and ought to have been carrying out the service of God in a way?
That would be for the blessing of the people of God. They had to be accused five times.
Of unfaith. Of unfaithfulness. Well then, I want to just notice we're going to move very quickly here. But let's go down to the third chapter. I just want to notice verse 6. For I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Well, here we find another little expression that ought to encourage our hearts. Brethren, I am the Lord. I change not. We sometimes sing that hymn. We change. He changes not. I'm thankful for that. Aren't you? You know, there's very little that stays the same in this fast-paced world today.
You know, I'm a person. I'm a very conservative person, and I don't like change. And I love routine and I don't like to, as the young people would say, get out of my comfort zone. But I've had to learn there's very little stays the same. Everything seems to change all about us in this world today. But there's one of whom it says, But thou remainest, he doesn't change, brethren. And it says in Timothy, if if we don't abide faithful, he abides faithful, he cannot deny himself not that that excuse is unfaithfulness on our part. It did not excuse the unfaithfulness.
On the part of the priests here and the people of God. But we can rest on his faithfulness.
He never changes. And so it says, Ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. I like that because if it said ye sons of Israel, you'd say, of course, because Israel is what we are. By grace Israel means a Prince with God, and he has indeed brought us as beggars from the dunghill and set us among Princess. But so often, especially at times of failure in the Old Testament, it's not Israel that it's addressed, it's Jacob that's addressed. In other words, he says, even if you act like men in the flesh.
I haven't changed. It's not wonderful to think of Jacob's what we are by nature. And so he says.
Ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed.
And so we can go on, brethren. I know it's difficult. Maybe there's somebody sitting here today and you say, Jim, you just don't understand. When I go back on Monday, I'm going back to a very difficult situation, maybe at work, maybe in the family circle, sometimes in the assembly. You just don't know what's going on in our area. Well, perhaps I don't. But I do know one thing the Lord is sufficient. He's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. I just want to encourage you to hold fast, not to give up. It's easier to give up.
To just throw up our hands as the old expression. To hang crepe, to say it's all over. But oh brethren, we have everything that we need. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. And it's interesting in this little book.
So 24 * 24 times in these 4 short chapters, Jehovah is referred to as the Lord of Hosts. We're gonna notice there was a very feeble company seeking to go on, but they had the Lord of Hosts at their disposal. They might have said how can we stand up against the tide of indifference and all that's coming in. Oh, he says, you've got the Lord of hosts on your side. You know, it's like the man who said to the prophet, the young man said to the prophet, he said, we can't stand against this host, they're surrounding us. We can't stand against them.
And you remember what happened? The Prophet prayed, and the veil was taken away for a moment, and the Chariots of the Lord's hosts were seen. And he realized that there was more with them than more with the enemy. Oh, there was a vast host. And I don't want to underestimate the work of the enemy. I don't want to underestimate the problems and difficulties associated with going on in the truth and at the Lord's table in the last days. But what I do want you to realize is we have the Lord of hosts on our side. There's more with us than with them.
Maybe we can't see it. It's only discerned by the spiritual eye, utilized by spiritual energy.
But be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We can go on brethren and brethren, If we give up in some sphere of our life, what excuse are we gonna give at the judgment seat of Christ? Are we gonna stand there and say, well Lord, we couldn't do it. We just didn't have the wherewithal to do it. Sometimes I've given my children a task when I've gone away. And when I got home from a trip, they didn't hadn't completed it. And they said, Dad, he didn't give us everything we needed to do it. And I looked over the situation and I had to admit it was true.
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But he's given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. He's going to say to us in that day, look, you had everything you needed. Get all things and you if you had to give up, oh brother, let's be strong in the Lord. We have the Lord of hosts. I can't stress this enough. And he doesn't change and we're not consumed. I just want to notice in verse 7 two to emphasize something I said earlier, even from the days of your father's. Are you gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them.
And then I want to notice this return unto me, and I will return unto you. They'd given up the truth. They'd given up that which had been established at the beginning by God. But does he tell them to return to those ordinances? No. He tells them, return unto me because he knew if their hearts returned to him, then it would take care of those other things. And, you know, sometimes we stress the importance of walking in the truth, of knowing the truth, of walking in it, of holding it. It's all part of it. It's certainly true. I don't want to.
Take away or mitigate anything that's been said in the even in these meetings as to uh, that aspect of things. But again I stress, if we're walking in communion with Christ, if our hearts go out more to Him when we leave these meetings, if we're left here at the end of this weekend, then there's going to be that desire to walk in His commandments. Because the Lord said me said if a man loved me, he will keep my commandments. It's a heart motivated, you know, we talk about.
Purpose of heart. But purpose of heart is really a heart is really the affections motivated by an object. It's having Christ before us. And then those other things are going to fall into place. So they had departed from the truth. But the key was return unto me. Oh, I say I can't stress that enough. Can you remember a time in your Christian life when you walked closer to the Lord, when there was more sweet communion and fellowship enjoyed from day-to-day? If you can remember a time in your life like that.
Then we need to be exercised to get back into the presence of the Lord, that there might be that desire.
To walk in his truth, And then in verse 10 he says, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.
That there may shall not be room enough to receive it. I just want to point out that this was his heart, and the heart of our God is still the same today. All again, we're not going to return to great days of great power and great testimony, and the days of the early Acts and and so on. But he does delight to bless his people, and I've been encouraged, as I've had opportunity, to travel amongst the Lord's people and to preach the gospel a little bit in other countries.
To realize that God is still blessing. God is still working by his spirit. Oh, it's not 3000 saved in one preaching, or 5000 saved, or great multitudes coming together in the assembly like we have in the Acts, but one in another being saved. We just had a brother last Lord's Day took his place at the Lord's table in Smith's falls. It was an encouragement to us to realize that the Spirit of God is still working. We had someone come into the gospel the other night and.
Really listen and I think the exercise, the spirit of God is still working in little ways and I'll just say this in passing. Having said that, for every one of us, there's no shortage of opportunities. Don't ever think there's shortage of opportunities for the gospel or to encourage your brethren. The the shortage is diligence and energy on our part. There's no shortage on His part of sometimes said when we get up in the morning, we don't need to pray and ask the Lord for opportunities as much as we need to pray and ask the Lord that we will avail ourselves.
Of the opportunities that are presented to us, and so he desired to bless his people. I just want to make a little comment, and I don't want to be dogmatic about this, but I'll just say it in passing and as a suggestion. You know, we know from the history of God's people, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and from our own history as well. That declension comes in very quick when when God commits responsibility into the hand of man, He fails very quickly in keeping his responsibility.
And I would suggest that perhaps the book of Malachi was written during the second visit of Nehemiah to Jerusalem. The reason I say that is on the basis of this verse, because you remember when Nehemiah returned the second time that he saw failure and declension and a lethargic attitude had already come in between in his absence between those two visits. And he rebuked them at that time, and one of the things he rebuked them for.
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Was that those who ought to be devoting their full time to the service of God in his house?
Had to return to their fields to make a living, that the tithes had not been brought into the storehouses, as had been made provision for in the first visit of Nehemiah and back in Ezra and so on. And he rebuked them for this, that the Levites and the singers had had to return to their field. You know, I believe that's one of the characteristics of the last days, and I'll just leave it at that. But I I just make that suggestion that if you compare this verse with that, that perhaps that's how quickly the spirit of things came in amongst the Lord's people.
And that in itself ought to exercise us and solemnize our hearts as well. So I'll just drop down to the 16th verse. These well know, this well known verse we often enjoy. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, And the Lord hearkened and heard it in a book of remembrance, was written before him for them that feared the Lord and the thought upon his name. You know, there was perhaps very little of the fear of God in Israel in these days, but there were those who were seeking to go on in the fear of the Lord.
They were seeking to go on and honor the Lord in their conduct individually.
But also in their conduct collectively, and that's why I said at the beginning of the meeting that there's always a path of faith for us.
Collectively until the very end. I say that because I've heard many say, well, you know, it doesn't matter. At the end, it's all broken up and there's no corporate side of things. At the end. All brethren, be very, very careful. Young people be very, very careful. God always maintains a ground for us, not only as individuals and families, but collectively until the very end when God sets up and establishes something for the blessing of man on the earth.
He always maintains it until the end and so they were seeking to go on together.
And the Lord observed it. Isn't that wonderful? The world wasn't observing it. Their fellow brethren in Israel who were going on in indifference, weren't observing it. But there was one from above. He might have said, you might feel very small. It's like the Lord said to his disciples, Fear not, little flock. It is your father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. He said, Do it for the Lord's approval. Do it for his approval. And so here it's the Lord who, uh, if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, it's not hearkened but observed. And so he was looking down, and he saw this little company.
And again, I say, brethren, isn't that what we really want? Do we want the Lord's approval? Do we want the approval of other Christians? Paul said we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. That was a great labor of Paul's life, to have the acceptance of the Lord. I know when we're younger, we desire to have the acceptance of our peers and of others, but let's learn to first of all desire his acceptance. And so he heard it. And not only did he hear it, but he wrote it down in a book of remembrance.
Business touching to think that so much did he value this little company seeking to go on together in faithfulness to him that he wrote it down, jotted it down in his book of remembrance. You know, every act of faithfulness is jotted down in his book of remembrance. Maybe you say when we come to the assembly meetings, you know, there's just two or three brothers and or maybe even just two or three in the little assembly and you know, we read a portion. We don't get much out of it.
We come for prayer, and there's long pauses. We come on Lord's Day, and there's such weakness. And I'm not saying we shouldn't be exercised about that. But, you know, every time we come together to honor him as gathered to his name as A and at his table, he so values it, brethren, he jots it down in his book of remembrance. Think of a day coming when that book is gonna be open. And he says, oh, on such and such a Lord's day, you met with that little company. Maybe you didn't have the approval of many people.
But you have my approval, and I'm going to reward you for it. I value that in the scene of my rejection.
You met and sought to be faithful and to honor me. And so for those that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name, right down to a thought he valued so much that he jotted it down. And then he says, and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts. In that day when I make up my jewels. Well the children sometimes sing that Sunday school song precious jewels and we we it's applied there to the children, but here it's applied to to believers. Now and again I realize this has a prophetic character and.
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Looks on to a coming day for Israel and so on. But you know, the jewels are taken up in different ways, in scripture, different places. We find that on the breastplate of the high priest there was a separate stone for every tribe of the children of Israel for each of their names. Why? I believe that Jules often in scripture denote the individual preciousness of believers to his heart, the individual preciousness of believers to his heart. You realize you're a jewel to the heart of the Lord Jesus. You're precious.
We sometimes think of how he ought to be precious to us, and he should be, but to think of how precious we are to him. And it's interesting in the heavenly city in the coming day, in the millennial city, in the End of Revelation, that there are those precious stones there again that make up the walls of that city. Why? Because even in eternity, eternity is not a melting pot. There's going to be distinct individual preciousness of each believer to the heart of God. I I love that and that precious. To think that we're for all eternity, yes, we're gonna be the bride of Christ collectively.
Yes, there's gonna be a vast host, a multitude of different families in heaven, but we're all going to retain an individual preciousness. And so as we read this, to think how precious we are to his heart, the world says, oh, they're just the people, they're just those crazy people. They don't even go along with us in our programs and our ways, he says, Never mind, you might not be valued by the world, but you're precious to my heart. Let's always remember that, brother. You ever feel rejected? You ever feel like you just didn't belong, but you weren't very valuable?
Remember the value that you have to his heart. Well, in the last chapter he it speaks of the Son of righteousness rising. And again, it's in connection with Israel. There's a day coming when equity and justice are going to prevail in this world and the Son of righteousness is going to rise with healing in his wings. And Israel is going to be brought into blessing and association with himself. But we sang of the morning star for the church. It's the morning star, not the son of righteousness. But we're going to turn over in closing to a little portion in the New Testament. But I just want to notice the last word of this book.
A curse.
The Old Testament ends with the word curse. But now let's turn over to the end of the New Testament.
Last chapter of Revelation, Chapter 22.
Verse 7 Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Verse 14 I I'm sorry. Verse 12. And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give. Every man according as his work shall be. Verse 20 he which testifieth these things Seth, surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Well, I think we see the difference very quickly. But it's interesting that three times on the pages that the last page of God's word, there's a confirmation of his coming, lest there be any doubt in our minds. Brethren, he says three times.
A divine testimony. Behold, I come quickly and it's in connection with something different each time. Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is He that keepeth the prophecies of this book. Now I realize when it says the prophecies of this book, it's referring to what is just preceded in the Book of Revelation. But there's a broad sense to what we have here. I've sometimes said that in this verse we have reaction because, you know, when we come to meetings like this, what is our to be our reaction that we would seek grace to keep?
What we've heard so we might walk in the good of this book. What we've heard, the truth that has been given to us in God's book, the word, the Bible. And so that's ought to be our reaction. And in connection with the Lord's coming, what ought to be our reaction that we would seek to walk in faithfulness, the footstep or two that are left to us. But in the 12Th verse, then it's reward, because if there is any faithfulness He says, I'm coming, am I? Reward is with me. He'll reward for any little faithfulness, as we've been saying, even to a cup of water given in his name.
But then we come down to the end and it's not reaction, it's not respo. It it's it's not reaction, it's not reward, it's response. And it to me, it's just as if he says that's what I've been looking for, I've been looking for a response. And so over the third time, he says, surely I come quickly and there's an immediate response. Is that the response? I mean the true response of your heart and mind this afternoon? Do we really look up and in our hearts say Even so come, that's what he wants, brethren, now.
He has to allow sometimes circumstances to get that response, looking for the mercy of our Lord, and the longer we're left here, the more of a mercy it's going to be to be gone. But that's not really why he wants the response. He wants a response out of the heart, so attracted to himself that we want nothing less than to be uncloudedly and unhinderedly and physically in his presence there in the father's house. That's what he desires, brethren. And when he gets the response, he never repeats it.
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This is different. So I don't have to say I'm coming quickly again When there's a response, you know, when you ask somebody or tell somebody something that loves you, and there's a response so I don't have to tell that person again and so he doesn't repeat it here, surely I come quickly. Someone has said that this is the last promise of Scripture. Do you realize these are the last recorded words of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible?
Last recorded words of the Lord Jesus. This promise, surely I come quickly. It's the last promise. Then we have the last prayer.
What are the last recorded words of the people of God in the new, in the in the word of God? Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. So we have the last promise, the last prayer, and he closes the book. Not quite. We need the last provision as well.
My grace is sufficient for the and so he says here, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. In other words, he says, if I leave you here another few moments, if I leave you here a little bit longer, remember my grace is sufficient. And it is, brethren. We have, as I say, the resources. And if we get nothing else out of this little talk we've had this afternoon, let's just remember that we have everything in Christ that we need to live for His glory and to go on not only. Individually.
As families, but as collectively as gathered to the Lord's name until the very last moment when the Lord Jesus comes and the resources that you and I have in Christ today are the is the same limitless supply that has always been available to the people of God. It was a dark day in Malachi, but there were those who were seeking to press on. They had the Lord's approval, all breathing. Let's covet that for our own soul. Don't give up. Let's go on now. I see so many young men here, and young women.
Such potential. You know, I was a young brother sitting in the meetings, It doesn't seem that long ago, but I was a young brother sitting in the meetings listening to the older Brethren minister on these things, and I wondered how I was going to get along. And as I got older, well, I've learned one thing, at least it takes utter dependence and availing ourselves of the resources that we have in Christ. But perhaps I've learned another thing too, at least in some measure, that it's all there, if we're willing to draw on it. I say again, he's loved us. His purposes don't change.
Let's seek to press on. So we look into his face and hear those glorious words. Well done, thou good and faithful servant. And are thou into the joy thy Lord father? We're thankful for the encouragements of thy word, Lord Jesus. We're thankful for the resources that we have indeed blessed Thy word to our souls. We pray in Thy precious and worthy name. Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.