Address—D. Bilisoly
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Turn to Luke's gospel chapter 22 Luke chapter 22. I really want to go to the Old Testament, but I believe if we read a few verses here in Luke 22, we may find we may discover a parallel to what I have in mind taking up in the.
Old Testament verse 19.
Luke 2219 And he took bread, and gave thanks and breaketh, and gave to them, saying, This is My body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
And truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed.
And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing.
And there was also a strife among them. Which of them should be accounted the greatest?
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, as he that does serve. For whether is greater he that sitteth than mate? Or he the servant, is not he that sitteth?
Me, but I am among you as he that serveth.
Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that she may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel and the Lord, said Simon. Simon.
Behold, Satan hath desired to have you.
That he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee that thy fate fail not, And when thou art converted, or should read restored.
Strengthen thy brethren. Well, let's pause there and think a little about this.
Hear the Lord Jesus, you know he's talking to the disciples about his sacrifice, the laying down of his life, and he's made remarks to them already. And now in the institution of this feast of remembrance, He plainly speaks of His body given for them. He plainly speaks of His blood.
Shed for them. Not only that, but.
He also makes it known that there is a betrayer in their midst.
And then how about the disciples? Oh, they're discussing verse 24. They're discussing among them who should be the greatest. Well, you know, brethren, one thing about the disciples, they were unfeigned. They tell it all out, as it were, and.
Our hearts are no different than their hearts. We know that and hear the Lord Jesus is so gentle with them. That's very instructive for our hearts. How gentle he was with the disciples of old. And he tells them, he says, now look, he says the Gentiles, the kings of the Gentiles, they love to have that recognition.
They love to be called benefactors.
And they love to be served, as it were, But the Lord reverses all of that if I can use that expression. And he says it shall not be so with you. No, He says he that is greatest among you. Verse 26. Let him be as the younger and the and he that is chief as he that does serve well.
The Lord Jesus gave the outstanding the supreme example of what he was saying.
He says I'm among you as he, the servant. And he proved that, didn't he? Over and again, even on that last occasion together in that upper room, he girded himself with a towel and he washed their feet. A real servant and set that example. He was setting examples before his disciples and I'm sure.
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When they finally received the Spirit of God and all of these things came back to them, as it were.
They remembered those things and they benefited in their souls. It's wonderful, isn't it, when things begin to register with us, maybe things we heard a long time ago. This is why it's very important to keep bringing the truth before our children. They may act as though they don't really hear, as though they're not taking it in, but we might be surprised what they do take in.
And just keep.
Presenting these things to them and, and repeat them. It's important to repeat things. You know, that's what they do in the schools. They just by repetition, they really drill a thing in as it were. And this is good for us too. We need to just keep repeating the word, the truth and the word of God to our dear children. And God can really make it good to them in due time.
But now, our gracious Lord, you know, you see the grace of the Lord Jesus loom out again and again.
Well, it says the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And what does he say? Verse 28 year they which have continued with me and my temptations. Oh, I think that's so, so gracious of the Lord to say that about these disciples.
Who were discussing among them who should be greatest? Well, one thing about their discussion, you know, they really believed who Jesus was. They were fully convinced that he was the Messiah, that he was the king, and they were anticipating the Kingdom. They had a hard time really getting beyond that thought. The crucifixion was a difficult thing to them. They just couldn't quite take it in and yet.
The scripture foretold of it that it.
There were illusions to it.
And the Lord spoke plainly about it, and yet they didn't really quite hear. It seems like we're that way sometimes we just don't hear what we don't want to hear. And if our minds are set in a certain way, like the two on the road to Emmaus, they said we had thought it was he that would redeem Israel, that is out of the hands of the Romans and established the nation.
And even before the Lord ascended up, you remember there in the first part of the book of Acts.
They said that wealth out this time restore the Kingdom to Israel. You see, they were thinking of those things.
And the Lord had to say, it's not for you to know the times or the seasons. No, He couldn't say anything to them then about those things. There had to be the Church period first, which they wouldn't have understood. And here we are still within this period of time. Nearly 2000 years has gone by and the time is hastening on when He will restore the Kingdom to Israel.
But that isn't the time yet. He's drawing a people out of this world.
For his own glory.
But he looks ahead here and he says in verse 29, And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed me, that she may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Oh, I think that's lovely to see how the Lord rather than rebuke them and scold them and say how ungrateful you were for all of your thoughts about these things.
No, instead, he graciously reminds him, You will have a place in the Kingdom. You will have Thrones. You will sit at my table. Oh, brother. And that's marvelous grace. But.
Verse 31 is solemn to consider because Satan was looking, looking, looking for opportunities to take advantage of these disciples.
And just such discussions as they were having in verse 24 endangered them for the devices of Satan. And the Lord warns them. Now, brethren, I'll just bring this to your attention.
I believe this is one of the reason the King James translators chose the Middle English, because it best expresses.
These distinctions in these.
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Pronouns here.
For instance, you you see the word you hear wherever you have the word you. It is always plural in our translation.
But thee and thou is always singular.
Now you see what the Lord is saying.
He's saying Simon, Simon.
Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, everyone of you.
All the disciples.
That He may sift you, all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for these. Peter was the most endangered because he was so bold. And the Lord in a special way prayed for Peter. He knew what was going to happen. I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. Well, those are very solemn things. But the Lord certainly had His eye on Peter.
And all the disciples.
In his loving care for them and ourselves too. Turn with me please back to first Samuel, second Samuel, I'm sorry, second Samuel 23. Now the Lord spoke about true greatness there in Luke 22 and he said he that is chief as he that does serve.
Now I believe we get a listing here.
Of those that were true to David and that sought to serve him Davide mighty men. Now I'm sure that this passage here in.
Second, Samuel 23 is rich with thought.
And I can only skim the surface of it, but there must be some tremendous lessons I believe we can draw from this thought, things in connection perhaps with the judgment seat of Christ. What I'm saying is this, that in this listing of names of those that were included as David's mighty men.
There are names there we have never heard before, and I believe that tells us that God keeps all the records and He sees what we don't see. And a person may not have a public part, but they're real faithful for the Lord. And what a difference that will make in the coming day. We just have to leave the values with the Lord. I've thought of that in connection with.
With Dorcas there.
In the middle of acts, where is it? I'm not just sure.
In the 11Th or 12Th of Acts.
Here is a woman that was simply seeking to serve the Lord in her care and interest towards the poor widows among them, and she died. And so here God sends the mighty apostle Peter to go and raise her from the dead. And this occurs right in the midst of these great works through Peter and through Paul.
And what was she doing? Was she was making garments for these widows?
And they so missed her and they were weeping over her loss. And God through Peter presents her back alive to them. Well, I've thought of that passage that God knows the values, you know, He has all the values and he recognized what is really done for him. Just like the poor widow that cast 2 mites into the treasury. Well, it was all that she had, even if.
Only cast one, it would have been 50% of what she possessed. So God knows the values. But here we have a listing of those that that really were faithful to David and here come their names up.
Let's read a little from verse one of this 23rd at first Second Samuel. Now these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The spirit of the Lord, spake unto me.
And his word was in my tongue.
The God of Israel said the rock of Israel spake to me.
He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God, and He shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by the clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God, yet He hath made with me.
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An everlasting covenant, ordained, ordered in all things and sure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. But the sons of Billy old shall all of them be as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place. I believe these.
Opening verses here.
Indicate the character of David's future Kingdom. Of course, we know there's only one person that can meet the qualification of that Kingdom. It has to be the Lord Jesus, David's greater son. David frankly admits that it was not so with his immediate house, but David had full confidence in the Lord to bring this about in his own purposes.
God made a promise with him, and David was simply resting upon that promise. But all you know, when the Lord Jesus, as David's great, takes control, what a marvelous time that will be for this world. A morning without clouds and as the sun rises even in the morning. Well, that's a millennial thought.
That's in connection with the beginning of that Kingdom.
Now, you know, in connection with these mighty men of David, everything that is reviewed about them, I believe, is in connection with the Kingdom. And after all, brethren, when it comes to a time of rewards in regard to ourselves, it will be in connection with our reigning with Christ. You see, Scripture speaks about crowns, crowns of righteousness, crown of glory.
Crown of life and all of these things.
Connected with a Kingdom and be thou over 5 cities, be over 10 cities. Such expressions as that indicate that the reward time will be in connection with the time of His Kingdom.
But now it seems that the Spirit of God is focusing upon a few names here of Davide, mighty men of verse 8. These be the names of the mighty men whom David had the Tacmanite that sat in the sea, chief among the captains. The same was Adeno the Ease knight. He left up his spear against 800, whom he slew at one time.
As far as I know, this is the only account that we have right away here. The first one mentioned is an unknown personality up to this point, but God have fully recognized the faithfulness of this man and what a tremendous victory and brother.
This victory was the putting down of a vast number of men all at once. But maybe, maybe only.
Between your soul and the Lord's is known. Some great victory you have had, I don't know, maybe no one else perhaps could share in a certain great victory you've had, something perhaps you've had to overcome in a special way. Well, the word of encouragement in the New Testament certainly is to the overcomer. Again and again we see that.
That God would address the overcomer in Revelation 2 and three. In every age of this churches period there have been things to overcome and each one of us individually have things that we have to overcome in life. But the Lord recognizes all of this. He keeps all the records. He knows of the faithfulness and the grace.
To overcome and an overcomer, you might say in simple terms.
Is one who goes on with God in spite of things, and we're all faced with things to overcome. So the Lord keeps the records. I'm thankful of that. And I'll be so happy to see my brethren rewarded and honored for their faithfulness in those things that they had to overcome. Oh, I don't think anybody here has had to face 800 men at one time and put them down. Tremendous victory, but.
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Umm. How was he able to accomplish a thing like that?
Were these been that we read of? Were they more than ordinary men? I don't believe so. I believe that they had such an example in David. Now that's the the key to the thought. I believe that their minds, their hearts were on David. He was their example. Well, I I really believe that the Lord can help us.
He can enable us to overcome anything that we must be faced with.
By His grace and by having him as our object, all the dear Saints of God all through the ages have been faced with things, and the Lord has helped them to be overcomers. So here we see what a victory this man got. Verse nine. And after him was Eliezer, the son of Dodo, the whole height, one of the three mighty men with David.
When they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together.
To battle. And the men of Israel were gone. Away he arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword. And the Lord wrought a great victory that day, and the people returned after him. Only to spoil. Well, you can picture that, can't you, The battle that Eliezer was in.
It was such a battle that there was no opportunity for any rest, no.
No chance to get a little break. It was a matter of life or death. And he couldn't lay down the store for one moment. And so the sword claved to his hand. Have you ever had that experience? Maybe framing up something using a hammer a lot? And your hand gets so weary, as it were, and you go to lay down the hammer and you feel your hand very stiff. You know, the tendons are so sore and stiff you can hardly let.
Go as it were. Imagine a person so tightly engaged in a battle, the enemy coming at him from all directions, and he can't let that sword go. And finally, when the enemy is put down, he can finally lay down and relax. I can just see him flat on his back, exhausted, and that sword still cleaving to his hand. What an interesting picture.
I'm sure the Spirit of God is has got a lesson for us in all of this.
You know, here is the sword of the Spirit, and dear ones are, is this cleaving to our hands? Is this what we're using? You know, we can't meet the enemy in our own strength or by our own wisdom. I observed and listened in on a young Christian that was trying to meet the arguments of an infidel, and he wasn't getting anywhere with it. He was trying to use a dull sword. He was trying to match him in his own intelligence.
And another Christian came up and applied the word of God in a skillful way and closed the mouth of that infidel. That was so good to see that other Christian simply used the sword of the Spirit in such a way that the enemy couldn't resist it. The enemy was put down. So let's let this sword truly cleave to our hands. There's nothing to equal it.
And the Lord brought a great victory that day, and the people returned after him, only to spoil.
Oh, the Lord's able to do that. You know, he told Gideon that he would defeat, defeat those Midianites as by one man. And I believe it could have been that way. I believe the Lord would have given Gideon alone that victory. He didn't even need those 300 men. I believe the Lord would have done that. And then you've got Shama here in verse 11.
And after him was Shama, the son of Aggie the high right, and the Philistines were gathered together into a troop where was a piece of ground full of linerls, and the people fled from the Philistines.
But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it and slew the Philistines, and the Lord wrought a great victory. Do you know what littles are? They're very insignificant. They're just a very, very small vegetable. And you might say, was it worth it?
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Indeed, it was worth it that food belonged to the people of God. He was not going to yield it to the enemy. I think that's remarkable. And others may have criticized him and said, do you think it was really worth the risk? But what does it say? It says the Lord wrought a great victory. Well, brethren, let's think of it this way.
Let's leave the estimation of it to God.
I mean, to press on in the little testimony to the truth of the one body, to take a defense of it, even though others might say, oh, you're such a small group and we're doing such great things over here, and what are you accomplishing? Oh, let's leave the estimate up to God. See, let's leave it to him, because in this account it says the Lord brought.
Victory. So let's be concerned about his thoughts about it and let's have our values right like dear Shama, who wouldn't give up that little patch of ground that was food for the people of God. Now this next part might even raise greater question as to the folly of the risk. Verse 13.
And three of the 30 chief went down. You know, we have so many threes here in 30s and what have you. I think it's an abundant testimony.
I don't know how far to take that thought, but certainly we have an abundant testimony to God's thoughts about these things. And so here's three of the 30 chief. Now mind you what the Lord Jesus said there in Matthew or in Luke 22 heated that his chief as he that does serve. And here's some chief that could easily have said to their men. Now look you men, we have something that we feel we should do. You go get the water for.
But no, no, let's read on here. And 30 and three of the 30 chief went down and came to David in the harvest time under The Cave of Adela. And the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rifum, and David was then in an hold, And the Garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. And David longed and said, oh, that one would give me drink of the water.
Of the Well of Bethlehem that is by the gate. Well, I don't know what your boyhood experience is, but I can look back in my memory and picture a setting underneath a a trestle up in Leiden Junction in Colorado.
Where my grandfather had a well, they didn't have running water in their house in those days.
Especially where he worked, it was kind of an outlying area, so there was no electricity or running water. So I got just a little taste of the early days when we'd go up to my grandparents. Anyway, grandfather had this well underneath this train trestle, and there was no water in the world like it. It was so delicious.
And my brother Bob and I would go down there and Granddaddy would pull up a bucket of water and we would trade off, you know, drinking from that delicious. Well, it was always cool, right? Midsummer coming out of that deep well under the trestle. So I can look back in my boyhood memories and understand such a thing as this. And here is David that has, you might say, two things.
Hindering him from the enjoyment of this water.
From the well of Bethlehem. One is that Saul was chasing him like a Partridge on the mountains. He did not have free access to go anywhere. Another thing here were these garrisons of the Philistines in the land, blocking the way, as it were. And here's David longing. You know, I can't help but believe that there are some prophetic thoughts.
In the longings of David here because.
In the prophecy of Micah it says something like this. And now Bethlehem, Africa, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth He that shall be ruler over my people, Israel.
Whose going forth are of old from everlasting. So here's a prophecy that spoke of the one from Bethlehem that would be the absolute ruler over the people. And actually the thought conveys the idea that he was God. Who's going forth our goal from everlasting. And David is longing. You see, He's the true King, and yet here he is in rejection. He's in this cave of Adelaum.
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It took faith, if I can put it that way. It took faith for these three chiefs to come and to.
Cast in their luck with David because at this particular time only those that were in debt discontented and.
Oh, I can't remember the other thing about them, but they certainly weren't the pick of the crop.
And here come these chiefs. They gave up their position, as it were, and they identified themselves with David. And now another thing that comes before me is this, that they must have been near enough to David to hear the longings of his heart. I'm sure that David didn't shout this out. I'm sure he didn't speak out loud. I can just picture David thinking and as it were, talking out loud.
Maybe a loud whisper. Oh, that one would go and get me water from the well of Bethlehem. Here I am in such a state of rejection.
Things are so out of order, you know. But you know, these dear men, I like to think of it this way, that David's wish was their command. Brother, doesn't that speak to our hearts? What does it take? You know, we should be so ready in heart to respond to him, and I believe He's made His will clear enough unto us. Like someone said, we certainly don't need to pray.
As to whether or not we have the Lord's will when a scripture is so plainly stated like.
This do in remembrance of me. We don't have to question that that's so clearly put and.
That's made plain to us that that certainly is the desire of his heart. And how difficult is it for us to respond to that request? We don't have to break through any garrisons of the Philistines to get to the meeting room. We don't have to fear that we'll be shot down by an enemy like Saul, you see, and so.
We have the liberty to to come and to answer to that request, but I think this is so excellent.
These deer men, you know, they never lifted a sword. They never put down 800 at one time. They didn't accomplish anything that would have drawn great recognition by the others. Their act was purely an act of devotedness. Oh, brethren, I am confident that every little act of devotedness on our part, the Lord is writing them down. He's putting them in His book of remembrance.
Maybe no one else sees or knows what we're doing as an act of devotedness to the Lord, just even the enjoyment of Him. Do we even just simply give Him thanks and talk to Him as one that we greatly appreciate? Oh, he, he, He would remember that. He'll record that and hear these dear men.
They went immediately. They rose up. They breakthrough the host of the Philistines. They drew water.
Out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, they took it. They brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out.
Unto the Lord, you know, the apostle Paul said, if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I join, rejoice with you all. Paul was ready to do that if it were necessary. He was ready to be poured right out as a drink offering for the good of the Saints. That's a spirit and attitude of these men. They were ready to pour out their life's blood if necessary to do this for David. No wonder David wouldn't drink that water. It was.
Even though he longed for such a thing, it was too sacred. It's just like David. It's not surprising that he would pour it out. He said be it far from me. Verse 17 O Lord, that I should do this. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men seems to me that the Spirit of God draws more attention to this act of devotedness because that's.
All it was was an act of devotedness, and David well understood what they did. Oh, I think that's lovely. Now here's a solemn note to this listing. In verse 18, we have Abitier, the brother of Joab, mentioned as being one of the chief, and he accomplished some remarkable things here too, as we noticed.
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And we see also that.
References made to Joab in verse 24. Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of these. 30 chief.
And also I think Joab's armor bearer in verse 37 as he elect the Ammonite, mind you not even a true Israelite, was one of David's mighty men. And also Uriah the Hittite in verse 39 was not even an Israelite and he's listed as one of David's mighty men. So you see the Gentiles come into the picture too. But here is 3 mentions of Joab.
And yet he was not ranked with David's mighty men.
Was Joab a mighty man man Oh, there's no question that he was a real warrior. There's no question that he was a mighty man. But let's think of it this way that Joab did not really have a heart for David. He shows it in different ways. And finally, he he betrays his treachery against the throne of David right at the end time and loses his life under Solomon as soon as.
Come into power he's like one of the rebels that that slips through into the Millennium yielding feigned obedience and he's finally put down I think it's very instructive that in that I believe it's the third chapter of first kings all in one chapter the old enemies are put down and I believe that's a little hint of how it'll be in the Kingdom that right away these rebels will show their.
And be put down South. Here we see these men doing great things all through their inspiration of David.
Here's a banana, quite a bit of said historically about him in verse 20, and he did some unusual things he put down to lion like men of Moab, or I think the margin or at least one rendering of it indicates heroes. And then he actually slew a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.
I would suspect that he slipped down.
I would suspect that he fell into that pit. I don't know. And here he had no choice, couldn't get out right away. There was a lion also, and he had no choice but to meet that lion and was able to overcome that mighty beast under such a handicap. And then in verse 21, he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand and so forth.
I believe we have in thought here those three enemies of the believer, the flesh in that which would figure the heroes of Moab, as it were.
Satan certainly is looked at as a lion, a roaring lion, and the Egyptians certainly figures the world. And here you got the three basic enemies of the believer flesh, Satan and the world, and we see that there is power.
To overcome as it were. But David being there object their example. Well anyway, as we read on down through this list here in chapter 23 we see name after name after name that there is no other mention of these names. And there again, I believe it just tells us that God knows and keeps all the accounts and we may be in for some surprises.
When we get home to the glory, now turn over to 1St Chronicle. No, it's twelve First Chronicles 12. We have a similar list in the 11Th chapter of these mighty men.
Some differences.
But Chapter 12 seems to take us a little farther.
First Chronicles. Now these are they which came to David to ziglag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men, helpers in the war Now.
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The setting here is farther on. See, because at ziglag this was coming near the end of David's rejection. This was right on the threshold of his Kingdom.
Back in the last account we have The Cave of Adela in focus. That was at the very first of David's rejection. But now this is toward the end of the rejection, and it seems to me the thought comes before us that.
This was, as it were, their last opportunity to identify themselves with David before.
He came into the Kingdom, and the Kingdom was established to him. And so as we notice, many, many of Saul's brethren of these men of Benjaminite were falling out unto David in verse two and and verse 3.
And.
And then in verse 16 we notice. And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David, and David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If he become peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you. But if he come to betray me to mine enemy, seeing there's no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers, look there on and rebuke it.
Then the spirit came upon Amazon, who was of the chief of the captains, and he said.
Thine are we, David, and on thy sight, thou son of Jesse, peace, Peace be unto thee, and peace be to 9 helpers, for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them and made them captains of the band. Well, it looks like a total surrender. Good thing, but they would have lost out come the time when David asserted his full power and authority over the Kingdom. And so.
Well, we're beginning to see now tremendous falling out to David.
Their last chance, verse 19 And there fell some of Manasseh unto David, and so forth. And verse 22 For at that time, day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
And many, many of these are kindred of Saul. Now notice here.
To get the true perspective of the picture, it says.
Verse 29.
And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, 3000. For hitherto the greatest part of them kept the ward of the House of Saul, you might say, What does that mean? The greatest part of them kept the house, the ward of the House of Saul. I believe it is simply telling us that they would not, they would not give up their dedication.
To Saul, To the House of Saul. They recognized that David was the king.
But.
Some family fidelity or tribal fidelity or whatever it was.
Detained them, hindered them from identifying fully with David. They were the losers. They were the losers when David came into the Kingdom. But oh brethren, can I put it this way and I don't mean to to cast a slide on to families because.
We thank God for the way in which He works in families, but to me it seems an exceedingly tragic thing to recognize that God does delight to come in and to bless families and then to turn around and allow families to keep us from fully honoring the Lord, if you follow what I mean.
Sometimes dedication or fidelity to a family.
Will take people out of fellowship away from the Lord Jesus that's tragic that's pitiful The greatest ward the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the House of Saul. That's a that's a sad note and God recognizes.
Faithfulness wherever we see it young men verse 28 oh certainly he values all the young men he wants them to go on in trueness of heart and.
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Even people that might be famous in the House of their fathers. Verse 30. The Lord certainly recognizes their willingness to share with Him in His reproach. Just like he said to the disciples, year they which have continued with me and my temptation. He valued that very much.
Notice verse 32 and of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. The heads of them were 200 and their brethren were at their command. I think that's good, wholesome thought for ourselves. How good it is if we have understanding of the times, if we recognize what is necessary, what needs to be done.
Their brethren were at their command. It shows that their wise judgment and discernment in things gave them weight with the others. Verse 33 of Zebulun such as went forth to battle expert in war with all instruments of war 50,000 which could keep rank. They were not of double heart.
Well, what are we learning here? They knew how to go along properly with their brother.
Before God they weren't at variance, they were able to keep rank. They were in step, as it were for the Lords glory. Because there was not doubleness of heart. The object was pure. It was David. You know I took up this passage one time back east.
And a brother came to me after the meeting.
And I didn't know anything about him and he said, were you insinuating that I was out of step with my brother?
And I said, brother, I don't know what you're saying. I said, is it something that bothered you? I said maybe the Lord, maybe the Lord was saying something to you, but I have no idea what you're talking about.
Well, I'll just tell you plainly, I believe, I believe that brother was very out of step with his brethren and the Lord took him home suddenly within a few months after that.
He was so out of step.
They were not of double heart. Oh, how wonderful it is if our object is pure, if it is Christ that you speak the same thing, that you be of the same mind. You know, that's the exhortation that we have in the New Testament. And if we really have the person of the Lord Jesus Christ beer for our hearts, we won't be out of step with our brother.
No, no, there'll be one cause and one objective.
Well, it looks as though the Spirit of God records all these things. Verse 38 All these men of war that could keep Frank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. Well, that's all it takes, you know, if there's a pure object.
Then all the problem is removed. And there weren't, there were.
Many occasions of disagreement between these tribes, but when they had a pure object, no problem. They're all of one heart. They can all keep rank. And what a lesson this is for us in the assembly. So in verse 39 it says, and there they were with David, three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.
I suppose this is the closest thing in parallel to a a conference of the present day.
You know, some of us had the privilege of being over in La Mirada for three days, eating and drinking with the greater David's greater Son in our midst, and our brethren made nice preparation for us. We all agreed to that. It's lovely. Moreover, and they were nigh. Verse 40 them even unto Isekarns, Zebulun and Nephili brought bread on ***** and on camels and on mules.
And on oxen and meat and meal cakes of figs and bunches of Raisin and wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly. For there was joy in Israel. Well, I think those things spiritually could suggest to us those precious things brought for our spiritual enjoyment to the meeting. And we can all enjoy and share in those things the joy of wine, of the activity of the Spirit of God, the oil.
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And all those things that would suggest to us the person in work of the Lord Jesus Christ, then there's got to be joy. If he is the object, if everything truly centers around him, there's going to be joy and blessing.
For there was joy in Israel. Well, brethren, the Lord certainly wants us to rejoice in Him. We had that so much in the meetings. And even though we can't rejoice in circumstances.
Always He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. We can always rejoice in the Lord. And what a happy thing it is that we're able in any measure to go on together in peace and really enjoy the Lord together. After all, this is what heaven is all about.
And every hindrance will be removed at that time, but is to His glory when we seek by His grace to go on together, keeping rank until the Lord comes. He'll reward for that, for the effort to really follow after things that make for peace, and to hold fast that which we have, that no man take our crown to fully recognize.
The great privilege and responsibility we have.
Is being gathered to His precious name, where He is in the midst. Nothing to duplicate it, nothing to equal it in the world. Shall we pray?