Address—A.C. Hayhoe
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The RETURN, brethren, for a brief thought to Psalm 133. Psalm 133. The words of this song came before me repeatedly.
As the precious privilege that we enjoyed this morning developed the sweet odor of the ointment of the name.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ. You notice that this is spoken of as a song of degrees of David.
And these songs of degrees begin, I believe, with Psalm 120.
And it is generally thought that they were enjoyed by the children of Israel as they left the land of their captivity after 70 years of ******* there and started their long journey back to enjoy the privilege of being once again in the land that had been appointed to them by the God who loved them.
And you remember that in Psalm 121, just as they had.
Fairly started out on that journey. They sang these words. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. From whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. I love those words.
I will lift up mine eyes under the hills. Those hills, what would they seem to indicate?
I remember about 14 years ago wandering alone on those very hills.
The hills, the mountains that are round about Jerusalem.
And looking down upon that city and the thoughts that filled my soul have been precious to me from that day to this.
Those mountains that were round about Jerusalem could not protect that city against the invasion of the enemy, could not shelter them from being carried away into captivity. Took them a long time to learn that lesson, that those things which to the the eyes of nature might seem to be so unchangeable, so say, so impregnable.
They could not protect Israel from their enemy. In spite of those mountains, they were carried away into captivity.
And now as they're about to return, they see Yonder in the distance those same hills, and they say, I will lift up mine eyes under the hills. From whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. No natural resource can shelter, can protect.
Us from the dangers that are around us.
We can look to the One who created those hills. We can look to the One who is above all that is seen by the natural eye, and realize that in him and from Him alone comes that which can protect and shelter and restore to. But now, beloved, in this Psalm 133, it would seem to me that they have arrived at last. There's just one more of the songs of Degrees.
Now they have returned to this land, and the privilege of it just fills them with gladness and with joy, And they say, Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell.
Together in Unity.
Doesn't that sound so delightful? And is it not particularly precious to our souls On an occasion like this, when you and I have been enjoying something of the foretaste that awaits us, when together in the presence and in the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ, we're going to see the endless fulfillment of that which was the desire and the prayer of His heart.
That for which he gave himself.
That he might enjoy the endless wonder of His church, His bride to gladden and delight, His heart to satisfy the longing affections that were there. It's going to be realized. Perhaps today we're going to hear the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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We're going to be called home. There is going to be that endless togetherness, that oneness, that unity.
For which he so earnestly prayed, and for which you and I also should be.
Praying. But notice how it's worded, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It sounds very delightful, does it not? Sounds indeed both good and pleasant, but how is it to be brought about?
Is there any way in which the Lord's beloved people.
Can be found dwelling together in this good and pleasant unity.
Does the next verse not give us an answer? It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments. Oh, beloved, we enjoyed, did we not?
Something of the sweet odour of that ointment as we were here together.
This morning did your soul, did mine, enjoy the sweet odor of the ointment, the name, the worthy, the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Ointment poured forth. Where did it originate? The precious ointment upon the head?
Where is that head ascended up Yonder in the glory?
And if every believer here in this company, if every believer that the eye of God rests upon where to look up this day to that ascended head, were to be touched and permeated by that precious ointment, would there not be a unity that would be according to truth, and it would be both good and pleasant.
Oh, how wondrous it is beloved, to realize.
That the child of God can look upon every other child of God and realize that there is indeed an ascended head. Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
I think perhaps I can take in something of the significance of that expression, but I find it very hard to explain or to present it. The fullness of him that filleth All in all. Who is the one that feels All in all, None other than our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
No honor is too great, too high for him, but there's something that is spoken of as the fullness.
Of him that filleth All in all, and that is none other than the Church.
His body for which he gave himself in that coming day, he's going to look with unending delight upon that for which he gave his life, as he looked down upon his whole handiwork in creation. The best that he could say about it was very good. It was as yet unspoiled by sin. There was no flaw in it, but the best he could say was.
Very good.
But when he looks upon the fruit of the tribal of his soul he shall be.
Satisfied. And you and I are going to see reflected in his countenance, his own gladness, his joy, his eternal satisfaction in welcoming home his beloved redeemed ones. But I say there is the privilege of enjoying the wonder and the foretaste of it here. How can it be brought about, Oh beloved?
That ascended head, that is the point from which this sweet and precious ointment.
Close do I speak the truth when I say that if every believer here were to look upward to that ascended head, and partake of the sweetness of the ointment that flows down from that ascended head, there would be this good and pleasant unity flowing down upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard.
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I don't think I'm stretching a point when I suggest that this would speak of the spoken word.
The word of the Lord from the head, through the beard, down to the very skirts of the garment. There is an ascended head Yonder in the glory, and from him and through His word we have that which is so sweet, so precious, such a delightful perfume to the heart that is redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
Not only is it sweet, but it is that which will bring.
Into this good and pleasant unity all who look up to him.
All who value the wonder of that ointment, that precious ointment, the worthy name for the Lord Jesus Christ, may I please just look around upon this company and ask each and every one here who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Have you looked up to that ascended head?
Have you recognized that from Him and through His word there is that which is so sweet?
Such a delightful perfume that not only gladdens and rejoices your heart and mind as an individual, but which would unite you and me together in a unity that is according to the Word of God, according to the claim of the One who is our risen and ascended Head, and would bring about that good, that pleasant unity we were reminded.
Of dear Mary.
Who brought that costly 1 LB of ointment and anointed the one so dear to her heart? And we are told, although she didn't mention it herself, that the approximate value of that ointment was 300 pence.
I suppose we are right in saying one year's income at a penny a day.
Which was their labor in that day. One year's income poured out upon a blessed Savior. We're told the value of that ointment. We're told of the sweet perfume of that ointment that the whole house was filled with the odor of it. You remember too.
That after he was dead, 100 lbs was brought to that precious dead body. There's no mention made of how costly that 100 lbs was. There is no mention of the sweet odor of that 100 lbs. He was dead.
Shall I say Mary brought it while yet there was the opportunity, while his soul could appreciate the love and the devotion of one who found her delight in him. Though he was rejected and beloved. There is such a brief time left.
We're soon going to leave the land where he has been cast out and rejected and is still unwanted.
Oh, what a privilege to bring that ointment. What a privilege we shared this morning. And beloved, I just want to pass on to you that which has stirred my soul with delight in this 133rd Psalm. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment.
Upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to.
The skirts of his garment, right to the very skirts of his garment. Perhaps it would suggest something of the joy of being found at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
Oh, what a privilege to be found beloved at the feet of the Lord Jesus, that we might know the wonder of that ointment, that we might be able by matchless and wondrous grace to share together, to display one toward the other.
And before the world that looks on that good, that pleasant unity.
That flows from an ascended head, that comes from the precious word that He has given to us, and that bears with it the sweet and pleasant odor of the worthy name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For two or three, he says, are gathered together unto my name.
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There am I in the midst of them.