Address—T. Roach
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Select to begin the meeting this afternoon by singing hymn #59 #59, and I was thinking of some words, especially in the fifth verse.
When hung amid the empty space, the earth was balanced well. With joy thou sawest the mansion where the sons of men should dwell are those last two lines particularly. But we'll sing the whole hymn someone started, please.
Wisdom. Jehovah.
Life.
Before the prayers of all the inspiration quality.
Solid one.
Big oil.
Falls.
Right now.
Well, they are strong men, and all of us there.
To order.
Where?
The Suns are right.
Hey, I'm displaying the Earth was now and Squirrel.
Away and joy comes from and somewhere.
Loving God our Father, we thank Thee that like to turn to Proverbs Chapter 8.
And what's before me is that.
The.
Thought of the Lord in the midst.
From God's point of view.
And to see that.
He has a purpose. He had a purpose from a past eternity to have his people around himself.
So we'll read a few verses here in the eighth of Proverbs.
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In verse 23.
The Lord of Wisdom personified, he says. I was set up from everlasting or from eternity.
From the beginning, wherever the earth was.
And over in verse 30, then I was by him as one brought up with him.
And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth. And my delights were with the sons of men. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children, where blessed are they that keep my ways, hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.
What I was thinking of here is that God from a past eternity.
Had his mind on having his own people around him and what he was thinking of the creation and how beautiful it is, how wonderful it is.
The sun is the right distance from the Earth and the atmosphere is the right composition and everything is just.
Perfectly ordered, because he had in mind a habitable part of his earth. He had you and me in his mind, and not only those living here today, but throughout the ages He had the view of of having his creatures around himself for his own glory. But we read on a few verses. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.
Will is not only for his blessing and his enjoyment, but for ours also that He wants us to be around himself.
Over in the 45th chapter of Isaiah, I'm going to read the verse.
Get it? Accurately, the 18th verse of chapter 45 of Isaiah.
Says this. For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God Himself that formed the earth, and made it. He established it. He created it. Not in vain. He formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is none else. He formed it to be inhabited.
How interesting. Even the first verse of scripture speaks of God creating the heavens, the whole universe and the earth.
And anybody that's looked into it realizes how insignificant the speck Earth is in connection with the whole vast universe. He had in mind a habitable part of his Earth who was thinking of us. Not only was he thinking of us, but he was thinking of his own beloved son who would walk in this world.
In this habitable Earth. So let's just go back to Genesis now.
And we'll see that he wanted to be with his preacher Adam, the second chapter of Genesis. He created the earth, He created man. He made a garden, and he placed man in that garden.
And the 18th verse.
The Lord God said it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him and help me for him.
And down in verse 21 The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. And he slept, and he took one of his ribs, closed up the flesh thereof instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said, This is now a bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.
She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother shall cleave unto his wife. They shall be 1 Flesh. Put a picture. This is to us of the Blessed Lord himself, who went into that deep sleep of death, and out of his side blow that water and blood, and formed his bride as a result. So it was a beautiful picture that early day.
The man who has helped me in this garden, and we would take it from a verse I'm going to read in the eighth, in the third chapter.
That it was God's intention, perhaps his regular.
Habit. We can say that of walking with man in the cool of the day, enjoying fellowship with his creature. So we'll read verse 8 of chapter 3. Sinners come in, we know in the meanwhile. And verse 8, Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. It's spoiled sin spoiled that fellowship.
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It's spoiled that happy conversation of the Lord God with this.
Creatures. Adam and Eve at that time it spoiled that and they hid themselves. Sin does separate and it keeps us away from the enjoyment of the Lord, and he still wants to be with His people. Now there's many places that we could turn to, but let's go over to the 25th chapter of Exodus.
Exodus Chapter 25.
By this time.
We know many things have taken place. Sin had gotten so bad in the world that the flood had to be brought upon it to cleanse it. And many of these things that I intend to mention today have been mentioned already in these meetings.
Just kind of, by the way, a brother wants not too long ago asked me how do you get your messages? Well, you know that's the hardest thing to know. What is the message that the Lord wants you to bring?
And in contemplating something and feeling that this might be what the Lord would have, and hearing little bits of it given out is a confirmation. And so I go ahead with a little confidence in speaking the way I am. But we've already had some thoughts like this, and here is the Lord.
At least we go back to the garden there. From that time sin had entered into the world, it got worse and worse.
And the garden they put out of the garden The flood came, the Tower of Babel came.
And God chose that one man, Abraham, and of him.
He made a nation, and we know how he came and visited Abraham. He talked with Abraham.
But now we're up to the 25th of Exodus and in verse 8.
There's instructions being given to Moses in the mountain. Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. This was God's purpose. He wanted to have his people.
Around himself, he wanted to dwell on their midst. That word was emphasized this morning. The midst. And he wants to have his people around himself.
Well, you know, instructions were given for the construction of this Tabernacle, and the very first thing they're told about that they were to build as they are, which is a picture to us of the presence of the Lord of the Lord of all the earth. And as he gives the instructions down in verse 21, it says, thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark, and in the ark thou shall put the testimony that I shall give thee.
And there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat.
Well, the Lord is going to commune with Moses. He was going to have a communication with Moses, who would then pass on to the children of Israel.
His desires, you might ask, How is this possible?
Since sin had come in, well, you know, before this chapter we read about the people in Egypt being sheltered by the blood that was applied to the door. Not only were they sheltered by the blood, but they were saved. They were delivered by crossing the Red Sea, and they were separated from the dominion of Pharaoh. And it tells us they were baptized in the cloud and the sea unto Moses. So they were on the other side.
They had been sheltered by the blood, and they had been delivered, and they had also received God's word. They had received the law, and we know that they couldn't keep it, but they had received the word of God. And now he says, I'm going to dwell among you. I want to dwell among you.
Well, sin again spoil these things and they were driven out. I'd like to turn over now to Zephaniah 3. You know, our brother from Buchanan? Yesterday he advised us to read this chapter.
And by the grace of God, I roasted a little bit of what we took in hunting, and I read the chapter and discovered a verse I was looking for.
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In connection with this subject, the last chapter, the third chapter of Zephaniah.
And Speaking of a future day.
So we'll read from verse 14 to get that connection.
Sing, O daughter of Zion, shallow, to Israel, Be glad and rejoice with all the heart. The daughter of Jerusalem, the Lord hath taken away thy judgments, if cast out thine enemy, the king of Israel. Even the Lord is in the midst of thee. Thou shalt not see evil anymore, and that day it shall be sent to Jerusalem. Fear thou not to Zion. Let not thine hands be slack.
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy.
He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of the of thee to whom the reproach of it was was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and I will save her that haunted, and gather her that was driven out. And I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
Well, just stop there. But it does speak there of the Lord being in the midst.
Of his people in a yet future day. And I believe it was also mentioned yesterday, that we do not want to lose sight of the fact that God is going to bless Israel because he blessed us. And we might just think so much about our being blessed and our being with the Lord that we forget that he's going to fulfill all his promises to Israel. If we had time, we could look into some details about that, but he'll just leave it at that.
And I was surprised to see twice it says save and gather, and then it says again, save and gather. Interesting words for the Old Testament, aren't they? And he's going to do that for Israel. He's going to save them and he's going to gather them together. They're scattered so far and wide, nobody even knows where they are.
Nobody knows who they are today, but God is going to bring them back.
He's going to bring them back to their land from all the places that they're scattered under the under the heaven. And so he's going to be in their midst. He's going to bless Israel. He's going to have his earthly people around him. And so many of you probably remember that key verse to the whole Bible, Ephesians 110, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, which are on earth.
He's going to have his earthly people as well as his heavenly people, and so this looks way on into the future, maybe not so far off, but into the future when the Lord will be in the midst of his people in Jerusalem.
You know, I find it interesting that the 2nd Psalm says.
I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion. Do you wonder why all the Arab and the Muslim peoples are against Zion? Was because God says I'm going to set my king there. I have set my king there. Indeed, he's going to reign from that place. And underneath it all, Satan is trying to interfere with God's purposes, but they will be fulfilled. He will be in the midst of his people, Israel.
Well, we'll go on to the New Testament now and see that which.
Concerns ourselves more. Matthew, Chapter 18, a very familiar portion.
Rather than try to explain, I think I'll just read the words of scripture from verse 15.
Because I want to point out the two or three, the purpose that we have two or three mentioned in verse 20. So starting at verse 15. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, if he shall hear thee, thou shalt thou hast gained thy brother.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established, And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church. And if you neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man, and a public. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Whatsoever shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
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Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Two or three?
What is the intention of the Spirit of God in mentioning two or three? I believe it is as a witness. Oh, you might say a witness of what? A witness that the name of the Lord Jesus is sufficient as a gathering center. And I know we use it often. We often hear it spoken of as the minimum number, plural number, and sometimes we do find assemblies. And I've been present when there's been just two or three.
But the Lord is there, the Lord is there. But I believe the real purpose of the two or three in this context here is told us in the end of verse 16. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. It's a witness to the fact that the name of the Lord Jesus is a sufficient gathering Center for where two or three are gathered together in my name, the authority of His name.
Authority was named. I'd like to refer just go back to here again, but over to 1St Corinthians chapter 5.
One Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 4.
We again have that expression.
For the Apostle Paul is charging the Corinthians to act in a certain matter in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. But the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, and then down at the end last half of 13. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
I mentioned this one time and I was challenged as to the fact that the Apostle Paul said this and he delivered someone to Satan and the authority doesn't really have that authority.
I read it because it does say the in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you're gathered together.
And I believe it's just as powerful that it was the Apostle Paul that said this while he was still here on earth.
Because he could have dealt with the matter himself, he could have gone to Corn, he could have dealt with that matter and we would not have had such instruction as we have here.
But the very fact that instead of giving only his authority to do this, he tells them their authority in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you're gathered together, act.
Right.
Well, that is a very serious thing as an assembly. And remember, we're looking at this from the point of view that the Lord Jesus has a right to gather his own around himself because, you know, this ground is attacked. We know it's been attacked. There's there's many that have left the Lord's table because of it.
And they have. They have.
In a disparaging way, the one place doctrine, the one place doctrine. And they they make a word play on that word place. It's not a place, it's a person. Well, we know that, but there's a certain ground in which we meet that person.
And we'll see that in a sense is a place where.
Isn't that a place where two or three are gathered together in my name?
There am I in the midst of them. Now, the place isn't a building. It isn't a building. But there is a place where people meet. It might be a garage or somebody's living room, or in the catacombs or a meeting room. There's a place where we meet together, and if you want to meet the Lord, you have to be there.
Where folks are gathered together in the name of the Lord Jesus. And I like that word there. It's such a simple word. We use it in everyday language and we can relate to it. Maybe in this, in this way, that when Elijah told Ahab that there would not be rain or dew except by his word and he had to flee, the Lord told him to go to a certain place and he said I've commanded the Ravens to feed thee.
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There suppose they like to said, I don't like that plate. It's too hot there. I know a shady place further down. He would not have been spent, because he wasn't there where the Lord sent him. So if we want to meet the Lord Jesus, we have to go where the authority of his name is on, acknowledged, admitted, submitted to, where two or three are gathered together in my name. There mine in the midst of them.
Some of us were having a little discussion last night and some apparently are saying.
There's no ground left. There's nobody on divine ground anymore. Well, in that case, then, we have instructions. This do in remembrance of me, and we have no way to do it.
Is that God's way? I don't think so. I know it's not. If he tells us to do something, he makes it possible to do, and he wants us to be gathered together on divine ground. We don't have time to look at it. But back in Second Chronicles, about the 33rd chapter, we have a an attack on the one place doctrine of the Old Testament, Hezekiah. You know, he had destroyed all the high places.
Where the people worship the Lord, sometimes they worship idols. But there's a verse that says the people worship in the high places and they worship the Lord God only. Now that's even more serious than worshipping idols because they were professing to be worshipping the Lord. And Hezekiah did away with those places. And then Sennacherib the king of Assyria comes up and he sends his messengers and he says don't trust Hezekiah. Hasn't he destroyed all those places? And he says you come and worship at this one altar.
See, the enemy was trying to destroy the one place in that day. Don't come to this one altar. Don't listen to Hezekiah. Well, we've been hearing that for at least 10 years, maybe longer in those terms. And it gets to a point where you feel, well, maybe we shouldn't mention it, but when you see it from the point of view of the Lord Jesus and he's the one that says this, you know, if you have a red letter Bible, that 20th verse of Matthew 18 would be in red. It's the words of the Lord Jesus.
And he says, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. And we can count on it. We can depend on it. He has promised to be there, and it's his purpose to have his own gathered around himself. And are we going to deny him that privilege? Oh, no. We want to enjoy that privilege. We've mentioned yesterday how much those who leave that ground miss that simple.
Remembrance of the Lord Jesus in that way. And you know, there was a boy. He's not here now, so I can tell you the story. A boy about six years of age. He said to me, do you like going to meeting? And I said yes. Do you? He said yes. And I like the breaking of bread. A six year old boy, isn't that precious? He doesn't understand a whole lot, I don't think, but he enjoys the breaking of bread. I didn't ask him what it is he enjoys about it, but oh, it thrilled my heart to hear him say that.
Do you enjoy that? I hope we all enjoy this, that time. We look forward to it all through the week.
Yes. Well, we'll look over at Luke 22.
This also has been referred to. I always enjoy this passage.
The Day of Unleavened Bread came, and the Passover must be killed.
And in verse 8.
Jesus sent Peter and John saying Go and prepare us the Passover that we may eat.
And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
And he said unto them, Behold, when you are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water.
Follow him into the house where he entereth in, and ye shall say unto the good men of the house. The master saith unto thee, Where is the guest chamber? Where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he shall show you a large upper room furnished there. Make ready. And they went and found as he had said unto them, and they made ready to Passover. And when the Passover was come, he sat down, and the 12 apostles with him.
And he said unto them with desire, I desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
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Well, this is precious and we've often read this, thought about it. And Peter and John are sent by the Lord to go and prepare the Passover.
You know, Peter, he's a, he's a dear man, full of energy, and he often had his own ideas of what to do. And can't you just about picture him saying, come on, John, I know just the place, let's go. But they didn't do that. They didn't do that. They said, Lord, where will thou prepare? Where wilt thou that we prepare? You know, you probably come across people like that, too. They've moved into a new community and they tell you that they're looking for a good church.
And we've said to some of them now, how do you, how do you define that?
What is it you're looking for? What is a good church? Well, they're baffled about them. As to the answer, one one time they they showed me a card that said we believe in Christ, crucified and risen and coming again.
Well, is that all we need? You know, they really became interested in hearing these things that we're talking about. Where wilt thou that we prepare to good thing to ask a question like that?
You may be wondering, how will I get an answer? How will I know? Where wilt thou that we prepare? Where, Lord, where do you want me to go? Because sometimes people say, well, do you think you're the only ones? How do you know? How do you know?
Well, if you ask the Lord, he'll show you there was a specific directions here.
And I sometimes thought they could have stopped and said, But, Lord, suppose we don't meet that man, or suppose this or that, or the other thing. But verse 13 is what I find precious. They went and found, as he had said unto them, Isn't that nice? They went and found as he had sent them to them.
They obeyed. They did just what he said, and they found it worked. They found the place.
Verse 14. And when the hour was come, he sat down the 12 apostles with him. I was glad when my brother mentioned being in our places a little ahead of time and respect for the Lord. It's not just in conferences. There's a couple of meetings that I can think of, assemblies where if you go there 10 minutes before the hour, you'll find nearly everybody sitting down. They're not having a conversation.
They're sitting down.
And I don't know. I can't read their minds, But I suspect they're thinking about the Lord. And I like that quiet myself, to think about the Lord, to think about what he's done, why we're there. And you know, when the meeting begins, it just flows along. It's so nice.
Well, how do we get that out of this verse? When the hour was coming, he sat down. He was the first one there.
And if the meeting goes beyond 12:00, he isn't gone. He doesn't leave at 12:00.
He's the last one to leave, first one there, last one to leave. So if we want to enjoy the presence of the Lord, this is a little advice for us. From the Scripture he sat down, and the 12 apostles with him, and he said unto them, with desire, I have desired, or I have greatly desired, keep this Passover with you before I suffer again. Looking at it from his point of view, it was his purpose. It was his desire to have his own around himself.
For thy last Passover before he suffered, indeed the last Passover period.
And then he took the cup, Later on took the loaf and the cup in the 19th verse. And following the night in which he was betrayed, he did that he instituted the feast of remembrance. Well, the Lord in the midst, and it's his his privilege, his prerogative, to tell us how to do that, to invite us together around himself.
And rather than being presumptuous, it's obedience to do as he says and to go on and communion with himself.
Now that's not the end of the story. We've gone from eternity. Let's go ahead now into Revelation.
The 4th chapter.
We've had reference made to this first verse. After this I looked.
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That is, after the Church period.
In the vision, John is looking.
He sees some things Verse three immediately. Verse two rather.
And immediately I was in the spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven. And one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a Jasper and a sardine stone. And there was a rainbow round about the throne, insight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and 20 seats. And upon the seats I saw four and 20 elders sitting clothed in white, raiment. And they had on their heads crowns of gold.
And we'll go down to verse 10, the four and 20 elders.
Fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We now find the future in heaven, the Lord on his throne, and those four and 20 elders representing the believers.
Old Testament as well as the church around the throne.
Falling down and worshiping him that liveth forever and ever.
Casting their crowns before the throne. Amazing, isn't it? He gives us crowns and it's as if we say, Lord, I don't deserve this, and we bring the crown to him. Saying thou art worthy, thou art worthy to receive glory and honor. He honors us, and we can't help but realize that it's his purpose to bless us so richly more than we can take it in because in the ages that come.
He's going to show the exceeding riches of his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus, oh riches of his grace, and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. What a wonderful future awaits us. And they're saying thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. So honor comes to the Lord Jesus, and he's having his own around himself.
And then in the 5th chapter again the question is asked who is worthy?
And he is found worthy, and John is told to look.
Because there's the lion of the tribe of Judah in verse 5, the root of David, and he looks in verse six I beheld. And lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, a lamb as it had been slain in the 4th chapter.
Creation is the theme, but in this 5th chapter the Lamb as it had been slain.
Oh marvelous beloved, we're going to be around him for all eternity, and we'll never forget.
But He suffered for us a Lamb, as it had been slain. The slain Lamb will see him, will be occupied with him for all eternity. The slain Lamb he's going to have his own around himself in that way in that home above, not only his redeemed ones.
But we'll just go on a little bit.
And verse 8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and 20 elders fell down before the lamb.
Having everyone of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers?
Of Saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book to open the seals thereof. For thou hast slain, and hast redeemed to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation, and has made us unto our God kings and priests.
And we shall reign on the earth, and it goes on. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne.
And the beasts and the elders, and the number of them was 10,000 * 10,000 and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and honor, and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and 20 elders fell down in worship in the sitteth liveth forever and ever six times in the Book of Revelation, the four and 20 elders.
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Fall down and worship wonderful occupation in heaven was the Lord himself in the midst and even the angels and all creation honoring him. Let's just go over to the last chapter in closing.
Chapter 22 and verse 3.
You see, we're going to be enjoying the blessing around himself and it says, and there shall be no more curse.
But the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him.
I've thought about that. Serve Him, you know. How do we serve him now? Well, we may preach the gospel. We may visit the sick. We may pray in all kinds of ways. We may serve him That will not be necessary when we're up there. The only service I can think of up there is worship will be worshipping him, falling before him, adoring him for all He's done, for all He is verse four. And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there, and they need number candle neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. And then we'll go over to the 20th verse.
And we have his last promise. Surely I come quickly.
And our response? The last prayer in the Bible. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus. But you know, we're still here. We're still here.
You know, we'd like to stop and justice, think of ourselves being up there in heaven. But we're still here and we have one last provision.
In the word of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Loving God our Father, we thank thee for this gracious provision and for all that we were able to look at here.