Vancouver BC Conference: 1989
Table of Contents
God's Desire That We Walk in Fellowship With Him and One Another
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
First John chapter one. First John chapter one, verse 7.
If we say that we But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Now I'd like to turn back to Numbers chapter 19. Numbers chapter 19, you're gonna get the first verse.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish in upon which never came yoke.
And he shall give her unto Eliezer the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face.
Nellies of the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the Tabernacle of the congregation 7 times.
One shall burn the flash of the heifer, burn the heifer in his sight, her skin and her flesh and her blood with her tongue shall he burn.
And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. And the priest shall be unclean until even.
He that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until even.
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, And it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation. It is a purification for sin.
And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
And it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sovereigneth among them for a statute forever.
He that toucheth a dead body of any man shall be unclean 7 days. He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the 7th day he shall be clean.
But if you purify not himself the third day, then the 7th day he shall not be clean.
Whosoever touches the dead body of any man that is dead, of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the Tabernacle of the Lord. That soul shall be cut off from Israel. Because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him. He shall be unclean. His uncleanness is yet upon him. This is the law. When a man dieth in a tent, all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be uncleaned.
Seven days. And every open vessel which hath no covering bound upon it is unclean. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open field, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean. 7 Days. And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification. For sin. And running water shall be put thereto in a vessel, and a clean person shall take his.
And dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the 7th day. And on the 7th day he shall purify himself and wash his clothes, bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
And the man that shall be unclean.
And shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation, because he hath befiled the sanctuary of the Lord.
The water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him. He is unclean, And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinketh the water of separation shall wash his clothes. And he that touched the water of separation shall be unclean, until even and whatsoever the unclean person cut.
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Shall be unclean, and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even. This may seem like somewhat difficult chapter, but I believe with the Lord's help we can learn some very wonderful lessons from this portion of God's word. The reason I read in the first epistle of John because I believe it's very important for us to distinguish between what we often speak of as our standing and our state.
Now that is when you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ.
As your Savior, you're brought into a perfect standing before God. It never will be and never could be any more perfect than it is. And that's why it says in the seventh verse of first John one. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
That's where the believer is brought. He's brought into the light.
This is not conditional, it's a contrast was saved and unsaved. The unsaved man, he's in the darkness and He's darkness itself. But you and I are children of light. We have been brought into the light. But wouldn't you be very uncomfortable in a bright light? If your clothes were filthy dirty, you would feel very unhappy, I'm sure, because it would show up everything. But God brings us into the unsullied light of His Holy Presence, and then he tells us that He has made us perfectly.
Fit for it to be there. As someone has said, he's brought us into the light, and the light shows how perfect is our standing and all that the light reveals has been cleansed in the blood. Oh, how wonderful it is to be brought into that standing. And I want to say at the very beginning of this meeting that how important it is that everyone who has received the Lord Jesus should be in the enjoyment of this, should realize his perfect.
Thing but you know, after we have been brought into this position and it can never be changed. It's permanent, it's forever by one offering He has perfected forever them that are sanctified. It is needful that we go on in fellowship with the Lord and particularly what I'd like to speak of is how God desires and surely our renewed hearts desire that we should have fellowship with him and with one another. That's where we have been.
Brought mentions in the third verse of this chapter. The end of the verse.
And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And then in the seventh verse, fellowship one with another. So we see then what? What is fellowship? Well, the word fellowship and communion in the original are the same. And it just simply means common thoughts, oneness of mind. And so isn't it, blessed brethren, that you and I can have the very thoughts of God that we can enter.
And enjoy what's in the heart of God. He's made himself known, and he's fitted us to be in his presence. He's also fitted us so that we could enjoy, in common with other believers, those things that belong to us in Christ. And what a privilege this is. But it's possible for a real Christian, one who has been cleansed in the blood, to get out of fellowship with the Lord and out of fellowship with his brethren too. And so God desires that we should.
Walk in the enjoyment of this fellowship.
There might be somebody you love very much, but if there's a breach comes between, you may still think as much of that person as before, but there's something that's lacking. You don't enjoy their company just the same. And there's a way that you can be restored and go on happily together. And so I wish to say again that we need to start with this very important point that every believer has a perfect standing before God.
We are made.
The righteousness of God, in him we're fitted for the life, and we won't have a better standing when we get to heaven than we have right now when we receive the Lord Jesus.
But then it goes on in this eighth verse, it says, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US. I want you to notice here that the word sin here is in the in the singular. And that is if I were to stand here tonight and say to you, Mala, I don't have any sinful fallen nature within, no tendency within me to do what was wrong.
It says we deceive ourselves because if we're honest with.
Ourselves and with God. We know that even since we have been saved, we still have that fallen nature within. It's still there, and if we're not watchful, it may act in our lives, and it'll break fellowship with the Lord and with one another.
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And so it tells us here, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
You know, forgiveness in the Bible spoken of in different ways. When we are saved, we receive what might be called judicial forgiveness before we're saved. We have the thought before us, and properly too, of meeting God as a judge. And it's a solemn thing. There's anyone here that's not saved. You're going to have to meet God as a judge. And how solemn that will be to hear those awful words depart from the cursed into everlasting fire prepared.
The devil and his angels, how solemn. But when we are saved, then we don't have to do with God as a judge anymore. We have to do with God as our Father and and in that relationship we can lose the enjoyment of the relationship. So God has made provision for our restoration.
I want you to notice too that the verse doesn't say if we ask forgiveness. Some Christians say, well when I fail, I ask the Lord to forgive me. But you notice what the verse says. It says if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confession is different from asking forgiveness. Let me put it very simply. If I were to do something wrong to you, and I come and say, will you forgive me? I'm raising the question about whether you're going to say yes or no. But if I come to you and say I'm sorry for what I did, you say, well, I've had forgiveness in my heart long before, and I'm glad to forgive you. Why? That's a different thing, isn't it?
And you know, through the work of Christ, God has laid a righteous basis for forgiveness. But it isn't until we confess our sin that we are restored to fellowship. Just like with that, when I do something wrong and I come and tell you I'm sorry and immediately there's a relationship and the enjoyment, I should say, of a relationship restored. And so this is the place in which we stand before God.
In Christ, but the fellowship.
The enjoyment of it can be spoiled by failure, and if we don't confess our sins by we can be out of communion.
Jacob was out of communion for 20 years. The sun set on him, he schemed his own life and it wasn't till 20 years later that he had it out with the Lord and then the sun rose upon him. He was a believer all the time, but he was out of fellowship and he didn't attempt to make.
Right with the Lord, until he had it out that night with him.
And then too, I just want you to notice also that says he's faithful and just he's faithful because as we see in the 2nd chapter, he lives above it as our advocate with the Father.
And he's just because the sin was paid for at the cross of Calvary. And so it says.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The 10th verse. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. I've met Christians and I believe they perhaps were real Christians who might tell you that they hadn't sinned since they were saved. But that's not true. The Bible says in many things we all offend.
But it's best to keep short accounts with the Lord, And if we learn, brethren, to judge the little things, they don't grow into the great things. Just like in our garden, if we pull out the little weeds, we'll never have great weeds in our garden. But if we don't buy, then the little things grow into great things, and they can lead to the ruination of our Christian testimony, because we haven't judged a little things that creep in the little.
That spoil the vines. But now just to mention here about this second chapter in the first verse.
My little children, these things write down to you that ye sin not.
The Bible never makes excuse for our sin. It makes provision for God never says to us as a believer, it's all right for you to sin occasionally, but not too often. No, never. He's made provisions. The help is available all that we need from the one who is our great high priest there at the right hand of God. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
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And notice the way there's.
Is worded an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous first with the Father, because we're still children in the family, but disobedient children.
And then Jesus Christ the righteous, if I were to break one of the laws of this province and I was brought up and charged in court, if I'm really guilty, how could it be possible for me to get off?
I might be able to get an advocate who could in some way get me declared innocent, but in my heart I know I'm still guilty. But my advocate, he doesn't pass over the sin at all. My advocate, when I sin, he has paid for that sin. He himself paid for it. So he's faithful. He lives there as our advocate and he's just God never passes over sin. But I'd like to think that when the believers sin, it says.
The Lord Jesus in the presence of God could say I paid for that sin. It was paid for at Calvary. So he's faithful and he's just to forgive us our sins.
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. The righteous God, I say, never looks upon sin lightly, even in the life of a believer.
I just mentioned one more thing before we go on with numbers, and that is to notice this little expression. It doesn't say if any man confesses sin, but if any man sin. And this is very beautiful, because before you have confessed the sin, there's one at the right hand of God on your behalf to maintain you there in that perfect standing which is the result of the work that He accomplished.
If I can illustrate it like this, supposing you had a very good lawyer who's looking after all your affairs and you make some flip in your business, that may cause a great deal of problems.
And a week later you find out about it and you go to him and say, I've made a very serious mistake that may create a problem. Well, he said, I saw that when you did it and I've already corrected it. But I'm very glad that you came and told me about it. Now your mind is at ease. But he acted on your behalf before. Oh, isn't it wonderful? Brethren, we have a Savior who paid for our sin. We have an advocate before the Father. The.
It is there, but we don't enjoy this fellowship. We are not restored until we have come and owned it before the Lord. And I believe if we look at the portion in numbers, we'll see how this in a picture way is brought before us because.
Sometimes when we get careless in our lives, why there needs to be not only the sin itself that is judged, but the root. You could take the top off a weed, but it'll grow again if you root it out by then.
God's Holiness Required
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Just like to read a few verses, first in the 12TH chapter beginning at the 38th verse and then this 13th chapter.
All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest also of Israel were of 1 heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. For over they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on ***** and on camels.
And on mules, and on oxen and meat meal cakes of figs and bunches of raisins and wine and oil, and oxen and sheep abundantly. For there was joy in Israel.
And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said Unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seemed good unto you, and let it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites that are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto the unto us.
And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
And all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
So David gathered all Israel together from Shihor of Egypt, even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the Ark of God from Kirjashjaram.
And David went up, and all Israel to Bailah, which is to purchase Jiram, which belongeth to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the House of Abinadab, and Ahiah grave the cart.
David and all Israel played before God with all their might.
And was singing, and with harps, and with soul trees, and with timbrels, and with symbols, and with trumpets. And when they came into the threshing floor of Chidon, ASA put forth his hand to hold the ark. For the oxen stumbled.
The anger of the Lord was kindled against us, and he smote him because he put his hand to the ark, and there he died before God.
David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Azah, therefore that wherefore that place is called Peraz Azza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
So David brought not the Ark home to himself, to the City of David.
That carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom The Gittite. The ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had.
What I had on my heart, brethren, to talk about was the way the Lord guides us and I believe we could say with the Lord's help. We look at the next couple of chapters that He guides us through His Word and He also guides us in answer to prayer. We find that we need both in our Christian life. Very often we find the two brought together and that is praying and reading His Word. And so here we find that the desire in the heart of David that He would bring.
Back the ark of God. But it's important when we have a good desire to be directed by the Word of God, and then if we don't have a definite scripture, to turn to the Lord in prayer. For there are some things in life where we don't have a definite scripture, but the Lord is interested in every step of our journey. He cares and says, of all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
When we see where we began here in this 12TH chapter, that it was a very, very happy occasion, it tells us here that in this 38th verse of the 12TH chapter, all these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to David king over all Israel, and all the rest also of Israel were to 1 heart to make David king.
We can see that these people, these ones of the nation of.
Israel, they had the right desire, they wanted to make David king, and he was indeed God's king. And we see them coming with one heart. And we're thankful every time we meet anyone who has a heart for the Lord, who loves the Lord, who wants to give him a place of honor in his or her life. And we see this here a very, very happy occasion indeed it was.
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But we are going to see that the important thing.
Is not just that we say, well, we can all go along together without consulting the Word of God. We have to be directed by the Word of God if we're going to walk in the path that is pleasing to Him.
So we see this brought before us here, and as we look at this occasion, it says there were three days eating and drinking. Their brethren had prepared for them, fewer. I had been there. We would have enjoyed that time of fellowship very much. Many of us know such occasions when we have come together and had very happy times of fellowship with the people of God. But Christian fellowship is not a substitute for the guidance of the Word of God.
By his spirit.
We remember how when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth.
His parents took him as a child up to Jerusalem, and there they no doubt had a very happy time of fellowship at God's center in Jerusalem. And it tells us that they remained there. And then when they wanted to return home, they started home, and it says with their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And I can just imagine.
How they had a very happy time as they walked along on their way back home.
But there was one thing they hadn't noticed, the Lord wasn't there. And it's very easy for us to get so taken up with Christian fellowship and that we forget the importance of the Lord Himself and the light of his word. And so tells us that when they had gone a day's journey, perhaps no doubt talking about the happy time that they had had, they were in the right place there too, at Jerusalem.
They were doing what God had desired for them.
But at the end of the first day, they realized that the Lord was not there. And it says they went back to Jerusalem seeking for him. And I say again, this is really an important lesson for all of us, for myself as well As for each one here, that we should realize the importance of following the light of God's Word. And in the light of God's Word we will have the company of the Lord Jesus.
Because he values obedience.
He says if he loved me, keep my commandments. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew we see that.
The Lord Jesus appointed the place where he would meet with his disciple and the only way they could meet with their risen Lord was to listen to his directions and to go where he had asked them to go. And then when they got there, it says when they saw him, they worshiped him. Wasn't the perfect group and never looked for a perfect group because we're all failures at very best, but look for the person.
And you'll find that in the path of obedience.
We can enjoy his company.
Well, after these three days of eating and drinking and joy for Christian fellowship is indeed a real joy. Then it says here in the 13th chapter in the first verse, and David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader. Well, you might say they were all of one mind. They were all agreed because you read on. It says the thing was right in the eyes of all Israel, and it was right that they.
Should bring up the ark. That was a very good and proper desire. But there was a way that God wanted it to be done, and he had given very specific instructions about that in his words. He had said that if the ark was to be carried, it was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priest. But we find here that.
If we can put it in this way that David went by popular opinion, you know, it's easy for U.S. President to just go by popular opinion instead of seeking the light of the word of God. So it tells us here.
That he tells them, but seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere.
And so they've made an announcement to them that they were going to bring up the ark of God.
But notice what it says here.
That they in the end of the second verse, that they may gather themselves unto us, and let us bring again the ark of God to us.
You notice here that it doesn't seem that they were so much exercised about the Lord Himself, because you know when the instructions were given about the ark.
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Way back in the 25th chapter of Exodus, it says that that ark was to be constructed and God said that see that thou make it according to the pattern that I showed to thee on the mount. Nothing was left to the discretion or wisdom of Moses or any of the others who were there in connection with that work. God gave a pattern and they were to follow that pattern.
And then he said, There I will meet with thee.
And there I will commune with thee. So I believe that we could think of the ark as it brought before us in the Scripture as the symbol of God's presence among his people. How wonderful it is to have that blessed privilege and joy of meeting with the Lord. Now, I say again, it's very nice to have one another, and I've enjoyed many, many happy times with other Christians. But I believe it's good for us to realize that.
God has given these kind of instructions in His Word.
And so they were going to bring the ark of God to us. In other words, you can see that the setting here is that they were thinking of something that was their own plan. Although it was right that they should bring the ark, they thought of bringing it to us. But isn't it wonderful? It's the Lord that we want to meet. It says in Hebrews 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him.
Without the camp bearing his reproach.
It's a person, and so we find when the Lord Jesus was here.
How those who really sought Him got the blessing over and over again when they sought him. Remember in the 1St chapter of John, the Lord said to the disciples, What are those two disciples? He said, what seek ye? And their answer was, Master, where dwellest thou?
You know, if somebody asked where they would find me, I might give a street address in a certain city, but they said, Master, where dwellest thou? Oh, how important it is, brethren, that Christ should be everything. He's everything for salvation. He's everything for our pathway. He's the he's the gathering center. And we might even know a great deal about the truth of his coming, but we could know that and not have our thoughts upon the person. It's the person the coming of.
One who loved us and gave himself for us. But here we can see that there was something that was missing here.
And in the fourth verse it says, and all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. And I'm sure that if we were to follow the consensus of thousands of real Christians, why we'd have all kinds of varying ideas about.
Our pathway and the way of gathering and so on. But isn't it wonderful that we have the word of God and the Bible says His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. God has given us the direction we need. And if I can speak for myself, as I grow older, this book becomes more and more wonderful to me as I see in this wonderful book that God has given to us.
All that we need for salvation, even for the common everyday relationships of life, all is unfolded to us from the One who knows everything. He's the One, as the Bible says. He's perfect in knowledge and He has given us. And when man goes against the plan of God, whether it's in the way they live or whether it's in the way they gather, it's the way they carry on their everyday life.
Why they only find that they're missing?
That which God intended for our good and blessing on a sometimes said it can make a simple test of any doctrine that is presented by just asking that one question. Does this line of teaching exalt man or exalt Christ?
Because it says in John chapter 16 that when he, the spirit of truth is come.
He will guide you into all truth. Then it goes on to say, He shall.
Glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. And if you are puzzled sometime by a doctrine that's presented, just ask that question. Does this line of teaching that I'm hearing, does that exalt the Lord Jesus? Or does it give a certain amount of glory to man for what he has done, even as a Christian, even as a believer, because these people love the Lord.
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I'm not questioning that it says they were of 1 heart to make David King.
There was a great deal of affection for David.
Well, he gathered them all together and it says.
On the 6th verse, and David went up, and all Israel to Belah that belonged, that is, to purchase Jiram, which belongs to Judah, to bring up plants, the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called upon it. Know the cherry of them. Perhaps you remember they are first brought before us. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, and they were driven out.
It says God placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden cherubim and it says they were there to keep the way of the tree of life and a flaming sword that turned every way.
And that, as it were, was saying there's no re entrance to Eden. We're never going to get back to what was in Eden. We're going to get to something better through the work of Christ. But that sword has fallen upon the Lord Jesus and it tells us in Zechariah.
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand over the little ones. And so that sword fell down upon the Lord Jesus, and God has opened a way. And on the top of the ark was the mercy seat and the cherubim representing God's government.
Looked down, and there the Moses was told that the blood was to be.
Sprinkled and saw they looked down upon the blood and God made a way of access into his presence and so this was what the ark spoke of that God in wondrous grace had provided a way of access into his presence through the blood. We read in Hebrews chapter 10. Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. It's because the precious blood of Christ has been shed and in.
Sense the blood is on the mercy seat and we have a way of approach into His presence.
Well, they decided to bring up the ark now, and it had the name of the Lord upon it, you notice, and it says in the seventh verse. And they carried the ark of God on an in a new cart out of the House of Vinadab and Aza, and ahayah drave the cart.
Now you know this idea, if I can put it that way, this idea didn't come from the Word of God. Where did they get the idea of carrying the ark upon a new cart? Well, if you read back, we don't take time, but I'll just mention it. You can search it out for yourself.
The children of Israel had failed. God had allowed the ark to be taken down to the country of the Philistines.
And God had plagued the Philistines for having put that ark in the House of their God. And so he decided to send the ark back. And of course they didn't have the word of God. They didn't have the divine instruction.
So they made a new part and they put the ark on top of the new cart, they put two milskine, they tied up their calves at home and they said now if this ark.
For those two oxen driving it without anyone to drive it, just carrying that ark, if it goes back to the land of Israel, then this is the hand of God. Because they knew that no oxen with their calves tied up at home would go without anyone to drive them and carry the ark back. Well, that was all that they knew. They didn't have the word of God. They didn't have the divine instruction.
And so we find here that God overruled and that ark. I find in the other occasion I meant to say that God overruled and he allowed the ark to be brought back in that way. But now?
The mistake, if we can speak in this way that David and all these people of Israel made, was that they followed the ideas of the Philistines instead of searching the word of God. The Word of God had made it very plain that the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priest. It was not to be made upon some man made cart, it was to be carried upon their shoulders, and I believe the reason it was to.
Carried upon their shoulders was that.
As they carried that ark by, it was lifted up above their heads. That is, if anybody saw that going by, they would see that ark covered with a blue cloth going along, but they wouldn't see first of all the men that were carrying it. The men that were carrying it were sort of hidden by the ark being lifted up. And you know, man's plan always brings in something that exalts man we're going to notice in the.
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15th chapter When we come to it, that when they did follow God's plan and they carried the ark in God's way. There was a great number of Levites that are mentioned, but we're not told precisely who it was that carried the ark. God doesn't attract attention to the first man. It's true and wondrous grace. He has saved us and He has given us the privilege of serving him.
But we can't serving him acceptably unless we realize.
The end of the first man we know. That's sad to say. Much of Christendom is occupied with setting man forward, I heard a brother say.
Christendom has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves. And it's hard to pick up a book that doesn't give a great deal of, shall I say, blow to the person who wrote the book and all his wonderful record and the letters after his name and everything. And what God wants is to honor and exalt his beloved son. Do you know who God called the greatest among those born of women? The man who said, I'm only a boy.
They came to John the Baptist. That's the person whom the Lord said was the greatest among those born of women. And they said, John, the people want to know who you are. Are you the Christ? And he said, no, Are you that prophet? He said, no. Well, who are you then, John? He said, I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. He totally hid himself.
And he sought to honor the Lord.
And so we see that in man's plan, we know who drove the cart, and I'm sure that those men felt greatly honored that they were selected to drive this new cart. I can just see how they would sit there feeling how important they were in that job.
And so while they were driving along, the oxen stumbled. God wasn't pleased. Where did the pattern come from? Not from the Word of God. It came from popular opinion. But if they had only consulted the Word of God, they would have found God's plan. And so I, I want to say, and not only as to the way we gather to worship, but I believe for everything in our lives.
It's most important for us.
To have that childlike prayer of Saul of Tarsus. When the Lord saved him, he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
You remember when the Lord asked the disciples to prepare for the Passover, they might have said, well, we know a lot of good places, but they didn't. They said, Lord, where wilt thou that we prepare? And he gave them the most careful instructions so that they couldn't mistake the directions that he gave. And so here the Lord was displeased.
The oxen stumbled and other put forth his hand to steady the ark.
And the Lord was displeased that this whole plan scheme.
You know, in Speaking of the ark being above their heads and lifted up, I believe there's something for us to learn in this. I just like to turn to one verse in Matthew Chapter 11.
Matthew, Chapter 11.
In verse 27.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Now we're told here that the sun reveals the Father. So in the Lord Jesus was here, he could say, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. But it says no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. And I believe, brethren, it's important for us to always remember this, that the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is beyond our natural minds.
How could the one who upholds all things by the word of His power be there as a babe in Bethlehem's Manger? I can't explain it to you, but I believe it. It's above my mind, but it's not above my faith. I believe it because God said it. When the Lord Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, he said no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is.
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In heaven.
I remember I was talking to some children one time and I said, you know, I can just be in one place at one time. What did the Lord Jesus mean when he was standing there talking to Nicodemus? And he said, No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of man which is in heaven, how could he be in two places in heaven and also on earth at the same time?
And I thought there's this simplicity of a child.
He said because he's God, because he's God. And friends, let's always remember this. There have been people who have been tried over and over again to explain the mystery of the glory of the person of Christ, but it's above our minds. No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And so I don't understand it, but I believe it because that blessed person was God and man in one person and those who try.
To explain and try to figure some way that they can explain away the person of Christ. They always stumble. They always stumble. The oxen stumbled here and he put forth his hand because it wasn't the mind of God that man should be in prominence here. God's. I thought God's plan was the ark was to be the prominent place because the ark spoke of Christ.
And the one who is in the midst of his people.
Well now there's a little thing we notice here in the 12TH verse. It says, and David was afraid of God that day, saying, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? That was a very good question, wasn't it? He didn't at this time consult everybody else and say, well, let's talk this over, where do we make our mistake? He says, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? And we're going to see when we come to the 15th.
Chapter that he found the answer, not in all the opinions of men, but he found it in the word of God. There was a how there was a way that God had ordered that this ark was to be carried. But now I wanted to also notice this little touching point at the end of the chapter.
So David brought not home the ark, brought not the ark home to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite. And the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. I just like to say a little thought about this. You know, sometimes things come up, troubles come among the people of God.
As long as we value the person and the work of the Lord Jesus, as long as we value the truth of His word, why? Let's go on. Let's go on and value this. We have seen many of us in our lifetime. Things have happened even among the people of God. But I think it's very lovely here to see that when this had happened that there was one household that sought to remain faithful to the Lord and the Lord.
Custom, you know, you have a little pictures of that if you were to turn over, it won't take time, but if you read some time, the 3rd chapter of John, there were things that were happening in the assembly there. And Gaius the apostle writes to Gaius and encourages him to go on faithfully in spite of difficulties that arose among the people of God. You know, brethren, it's very easy to get discouraged when things go wrong, when people do things that upset.
Us and trouble us. It's very easy to get discouraged and say I give up, but isn't it lovely to see that the Lord blesses the household that seeks to go on. Sometimes the path gets very narrow. Sometimes we find ourselves the Lord reduced it in his word to two or three or two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the house, there am I in the midst of them and I think it's very lovely to see that here's a household that didn't get so discouraged that.
They gave up. They valued the ark of God, and it was reduced to just one household. But the ark was there, and the Lord blessed them because they had done that. And so I say again, when discouragements come, and they do come among the people of God, things happen that cause a lot of sorrow and trouble. Let's seek to Guam, even if it's only a few, because I believe God foresaw what would happen when He brought the numbers down to just two or three.
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Sometimes we have seen that when troubles have come, the numbers that seek to be faithful may be very few, but seek to go on, brethren, seek to walk in obedience to His Word, and He will bless.
Now I just like to read a little bit in this 14th chapter.
And I just like to read from the eighth verse.
And when the Philistines curve it heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, and David heard of it and went out against them.
The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raytheon, and David inquired of God, saying, John, there were things that were happening in the assembly there and gave us. The apostle writes to Gaius and encourages him to go on faithfully in spite of difficulties that arose among the people of God. You know, brother, it's very easy to get discouraged when things go wrong, when people do things that.
Upset us and trouble us. It's very easy to get discouraged and say I give up. But isn't it lovely to see that the Lord blesses the household that seeks to go on? Sometimes the path gets very narrow. Sometimes we find ourselves. The Lord reduced it in his words, two or three, but two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the house, there am I in the midst of them. And I think it's very lovely to see that here's a household that didn't get so discouraged.
But they gave up. They valued the ark of God, and it was reduced to just one household. But the ark was there, and the Lord blessed them because they had done that. Until I say again, when discouragements come, and they do come among the people of God, things happen that cause a lot of sorrow and trouble. Let's seek to go on, even if it's only a few, because I believe God foresaw what would happen when He brought the numbers down to just two or three.
Sometimes we have seen that when troubles have come, the numbers that seek to be faithful may be very few, but seek to go on, brethren, seek to walk in obedience to His Word, and He will bless.
Now I just like to read a little bit in this 14th chapter.
And I just like to read from the eighth verse.
And when the Philistines curve, it heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, All the Philistines went up to seek David, And David heard of it and went out against them. The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raytheon. And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him.
Then go up and I will deliver them into thine hand.
So they came up to bail Paraisin, and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand, like the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place veiled to Raisin. When they had left their gods there, David gave commandments, and they burned them with fire.
Here we find the situation arising and there was no definite Scripture that he could find that told him that at that particular time he was to go out and fight against the Philistines. He didn't know just exactly what to do. And we have situations like that that arise in our lives. We have situations that arise where we have direct guidance of Scripture. God has told us many things. He says be not an equally yoked together with unbelievers.
Tells us to be upright. He tells us to be honest and kind, tells us how we should gather in his word. But there are situations that come, maybe somebody here might be seeking a new job and you can't find a verse in the Bible that tells you to go and work for a certain company. You have to pray about something like that. And so.
When these situations arise and we don't have a direct scripture for them.
Why God is always approachable, it says in Hebrews chapter 4. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in in time of need. For Mr. Darby's translation says timely help, timely help. I think that's very lovely because sometimes we get help, but it's not timely. It isn't just at the right moment we need it, but God always.
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Timely help. And so when these Philistines came up, David didn't venture to go out against them until he had first inquired of God. I really believe that David was learning something. He'd inquired from all the others how he should bring up the ark, and he had found that their ideas were not in accord with the word of God. And so in this situation arises. He just simply goes himself to the Lord as though he were saying.
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
Another verse says.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
That's this coming weekend that the Lord will there are to be meetings in Calgary and I, I can't find any verse in the Bible that tells me whether I should go to Calgary or not, but I can pray about it. And I believe when we are simple and asking the Lord that he's able to direct us in these things. And so we find here that David asked the Lord, the Lord gave him direction for his pathway.
And tells us that he went up, and the Lord undertook for him and.
He granted a great victory for him.
I must say that when we pray and ask these things, it's good for us to be humble. The Bible says, hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. And I don't think anybody here who might have it in their hearts to go to Calgary would say, the Lord told me to go to Calgary. They would perhaps tell you that the Lord told them about some particular matter where we have a definite scripture.
And then I could say I know this is right.
Because I can show you the verse that tells me be not an equally yoked together with unbelievers or some other verse that gives us direction for certain facets of our life.
But I don't know any verse that says to go to Calgary. And so when you pray about it, it's a secret between yourself and the Lord. And David didn't go and boast and tell everybody the Lord sent me there. He just went out in a personal, quiet confidence in God.
Now I've heard people boast the Lord told me to do this, but you know, when you do that and you don't have an ethnic scripture, you're really telling people, well, I'm so near the Lord, I couldn't miss his mind. And you know, we do sometimes we do make mistakes as we know, and so we need to be very humble. But I say he does here, He does answer prayer and He delights to direct us and show us the way wherein we should go.
Now notice the 13th verse. And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. Therefore David inquired again of God, And God said unto him.
Going on up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees. And it shall be when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the Mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go up to battle, for the Lord has gone forth before thee. Dismissed the host of the Philistines. David therefore did as God commanded him, and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gath.
I think it's important we notice this too. We might say, well, when next year comes around, if the Lord leaves us here, well, the Lord sent me last year, so I'm going again. But he didn't.
Here he, when he asked the Lord, the Lord said no, there's a different plan this time. It's a little different plan this time. Don't go out against them, but you make a little different course and the Lord will direct you. Isn't it wonderful that we have all these things in the word of God? Sometimes we hear people talk that way. Well, that's a precedent and so I'm going to do it that way again. But you know we need.
Fresh guidance every day, the Bible says.
Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. The thought is that.
A lamp to my feet is that he just gives us guidance for one step at a time, and if we take that step, he gives us light to the next one. I think of the lights in my car. I think I have pretty good headlights, and I suppose they might shine perhaps 200 feet ahead, but you know, I'll never have light for more than 200 feet.
Unless I move forward and as I move forward I get fresh light for each 200 feet and I can travel for miles all night, but if I stop, I'll only have light for 200 feet. And sometimes we wish the Lord would show us what's going to happen in the next year. He says, I'll give you light for one step. He picked up step and when the next step.
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Comes why ask me again, isn't it wonderful that God delights to direct us in the pathway of life in all these little things this in this chapter. It wasn't carrying the ark. It was a matter where there was no particular scripture that he could rely upon, but he had one that he could turn to and rather than we have one, the one that died for us, live for us and he's there with timely help for every occasion of need.
Now we come to this 15th chapter and I won't read all the chapter but I just like to pick out parts of it.
15th chapter First Verse. And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and picked for it a tent. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, For them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.
And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it. And David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites.
Family passing on to the 12TH verse. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites.
Sanctify yourselves, both he and your brethren, if he may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
And or because he did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the Jew order.
So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of God, of the Lord God of Israel.
And the children of the Levites bear the ark of God upon their shoulders.
With the stage thereof, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord, David spake to the chief of the Levites, to appoint their brethren to be.
The singer is with instruments of music, sultries and harps and symbols sounding by lifting up the voice with joy.
And just passing on to the 23rd verse.
And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the Ark.
And then if you go again in the end of the.
24th verse And Obed Edom and Jahiah were doorkeepers for the ark. So David and the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the House of Obed Edom with joy.
And the last verse. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michael the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, saw David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.
Well, here we see.
David has this desire, the same desire he had in the 13th chapter to bring up the ark, but he doesn't go to the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader. He himself has been searching the word of God, and he has found that it's not public opinion that he was to go by. It was what God had said in His Word. And so he comes to these people.
All these of Israel that he had gathered together.
And he speaks with assurance, He speaks with confidence because he had the word of the Lord. And it is not lovely that when you and I have the word of God, then we have confidence even in the matter of salvation. How do I know I'm saved? Because I feel saved? No, because God says so. How do I know the work of Christ is sufficient? Because God says so. And you know we have the word of God in these important matters.
So I think it's very lovely to see David here. Previous time he gathered all the captains and passed their opinion, but now he gathers them together and tells them why. This is what God has said, this is what we have to do. It's not a question of everybody's opinion, the question of the way God has said the ark was to be carried.
There's a great number of names mentioned here, and as I said.
I don't know who it was that carried the ark, probably different ones took part in it because we're not told God is not attracting attention to the people who are carrying the ark, but to the ark itself.
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Showing us that the path of obedience is what was pleasing to Him. And so we don't have any oxen stumbling, we don't have the pram failing because it's God's plan. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Some people say, Oh well that was a custom away back 2000 years ago, but things are changing. We're in 1988 or 9 and we're not.
To be governed by those old fashioned ideas. God's word doesn't change. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall pass, shall not pass away.
People say, well, we can go back 100 years, We didn't go back far enough. If we want to know the mind of God in connection with the church, we've got to go back to how God set it up. Just like marriage. If you want to know the mind of God about marriage, you've got to go back to what God planned in the very beginning, because he doesn't change his mind. He may allow certain things, He's very gracious in spite of our failures, but his mind doesn't change.
Oh, how wonderful, His Grace.
Well, how wonderful to have His word. And we see David here, his true humility of heart with him. But there's firmness because he knows that God had a plan and he was going to follow the plan that God had ordained.
And I read those verses where it says.
In the 24th verse, I'll just read this whole verse.
In Chennai and Jehoshaphat and Nathaniel and.
And Amaziah and Zechariah and Benny I and Eliezer the priest had blow with the trumpets before the Ark of God. And over Edom and Jehuah were doorkeepers for the Ark. I just wanted to call attention to this blowing of the trumpet.
If you were to read in the 10th chapter of Numbers, you would see that God planned for the making of these trumpets. It says they were to be made of one piece of silver, and silver in the Bible is a picture to us of redemption. I say that because God's plan was that when the people were numbered, everyone was to give 1/2 shekel of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and that was called the redemption money, I'm saying.
Because it isn't just from our own minds that we get these things. The silver is a picture of redemption. And when those trumpets were made, it says it was to be made from a whole piece of silver, in other words.
It's a whole heart belonging to the Lord Jesus.
That says ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God. And God told them in the 10th chapter of Numbers that they were to blow with those trumpets over their peace offerings and over their offerings that they made. And so God would never have us to forget that we're a redeemed people and communion with him, which is pictured in the burned.
Offering and a peace offering can only be through against them. And so here they were blowing with a trumpet. And what about these doorkeepers? Well, you know, God has told us in his precious words, holiness, become a fine house. Oh God, forever. No, the enemy tries to break up Christian homes and he tries to break up God's assembly. And we need to be careful.
That we follow the directions of the Word of God. That's the only.
Directions that we have that are reliable and they're the truth. They're the word of God. And so there were doorkeepers. And so we do have to be careful that there is no compromising or giving up of the truth of God. I think this is so lovely to see that David seems to have grown a great deal in his soul in this little time. He had followed the plan of a whole group of people, but now it's changed. He's searching. He's searching.
Of God. He's seeking to follow the divine pattern and God is coming in and he's blessing them. And so the ark is brought up, David so happy that it says he's dancing with all his might.
And the only leader, one person that despised him, and that was the daughter of Saul, who looked out of the window and despised him in her heart. And you know the Bible tells us, let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. And I'm sure everyone of us who are in this room know very well that if you can talk about belongings of some popular and recognized group, you will be in a measure.
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Police accepted that if you say, well, we're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we speak to meet together in obedience to his word, you may get some reproach too, but it's the reproach of Christ. It's the reproach of Christ. And so David for carrying out God's plan. Michael didn't look out and despise him when he was following the human plan. And the world will accept to a large extent what?
Itself, but to meet together in simplicity according to the word of God does bring retrulged, but all David was full of joy. David was doing the will of God. He had the sense in his own soul.
That he was following the Word of God. And that's what gives peace. It's not public a claim, but it's knowing that we are seeking to follow the light and wisdom of God's Word. And now just a few verses before we close in this 16th chapter.
So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent that David had picked for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
I mentioned this before and these burnt offerings and peace offerings, and I think most of us know that there were five different offerings brought before us in Leviticus. There was first the burnt offering to them, the meat or meal offering, then the peace offering, then the sin and trespass offering, and those offerings bring before us various aspects of the work of Christ.
The sin and trespass offering bring before us the cross of Calverty needing our need as sinners, and the putting away of sin before God through the work the Lord Jesus accomplished.
The meal offering brings before us the perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus, because he became a man that says he was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.
And so then we have the burnt offering and the peace offering. I'd just like to say a few words about them because I believe it's very precious to see them brought in here. The burnt offering brings before us the picture of the Lord Jesus offering himself without spot to God in obedience to the will of His Father.
It really is what the work of God, what the work of the Lord Jesus, is to the heart of God.
And I just like to give a little illustration, so perhaps you can catch the thought by an illustration.
Supposing that.
I owed a great debt and I'm not able to pay the debt. And a friend comes along and says, Gordon, just give me the bills and I'll settle them for you. And he takes the bills and he goes to my creditor. He pays the bills in full and he comes back and I put the receipt in my hand, paid in full, paid in full. Now I'm I'm out of debt. I'm very happy because.
I know that my debt is paid but.
I don't know anything about whether my creditor likes me or not. All I know is that he's satisfied with the payments.
Well, let us suppose something else. Let's suppose I have a great depth where that creditor that I'm not able to pay.
And this creditor loves me and he looks on his book and he sees that great debt there. And he says to his son, would you be willing to sell your house so he could raise the money and take this debt off our books? If you'll do that, I'll send a receipt to Gordon Hale and I'll mark on it paid in full through the kindness of my son. And one day to my grace of life, I get this receipt in the mail.
Well, I know I'm out of debt, but I know, I know a lot.
More I know, a lot more I've learned, and all the heart of my creditor. He loved me, and not only that, he has a wonderful son. Who would be willing to do that. Brethren, that's the bundle.
And that's why it comes first.
And I'm sure that if I went over to thank my creditor, he would like me to hear, like to hear me say, oh, I want to say how much I think of your son. You must think he's a wonderful person. And so do I. And brethren, the work of Calvary lets us know the heart of God.
And that's what it means. The Lord Jesus offered himself without spot to God. Before I was afraid to meet. My chariot made me uneasy. Even after I had the receipt, there wasn't any special friend of mine. But how do I feel now? I'm walking down the street and I see him on the other side and I want to go over and talk to him.
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Wonderful person he is. That's the peace offering.
Peace offering or the communion offering, And you and I can have communion with God. Brethren, our depth not only paid, but the one who paid it is God's own beloved Son, sent by him in love. The heart of God fully told us Christ, the perfect obedient one, offering himself, as Ephesians says, without thought to God. And so here you find, when the ark is brought up to its place, they offered burnt offerings and peace.
That's why rather than when we come together on Lord's Day morning, we come in the realization of this, and what a joy it is to think that that my creditor himself is the one who sent his son to pay my debt and who assures me of his love to me. Well, here we find them offering these sacrifices. And in the third verse and it says, And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone.
A loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and a wine.
Well, they had to go to their homes again, and we have to go to our homes again too. We can't always be sitting under the sound of the word. We have to go to our employment. We have to go home to the duties of home and all this. But as they went, they went away rejoicing in their hearts. They received something that they were able to carry home. And I hope as we think of the Lord Jesus and what He has done for us and what He means to us.
And all this instruction that's given to us in his word that we'll go home in the same way with something in our hearts, something that really brings Christ before us, a loaf of bread. You know, the Lord Jesus said he was the true bread that came down from heaven.
And then it says a good piece of flesh. I think of the Lord Jesus who came down here in this world and walked through this world in perfect obedience. A man offered himself for the spot to God.
And then the flagging of wine brings before us the joy that all this brings, the joy that we have. And as we meditate upon our precious Savior and what He's done for us, provision He's made for us through His Word, the access that He's given into His presence does not fill our hearts with joy too. Doesn't make us want to thank Him more and more as we think of all He means to us and all He's done for us.
Well, may the Lord grant this may be so.
And that these precious lessons brought before us in type and shadow, made a hold of our hearts.
As God has given us instruction and his word, but he's also given us many wonderful pictures in his Word too. Somehow pictures make things more vivid to me. I can read instructions, but a picture seems to make it vivid. God's given both. He's given the instruction and He's given the picture. He wants these. He wants these things to be real, to be vivid, to be actual facts that we know and enjoy as receding them from Him.
Because he loves us.
He loved us in the Lord Jesus, as Paul could say, the Son of God who loved me, gave himself for me.
Feint Yet Pursuing
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Just like to read a few verses first in the 12TH chapter beginning at the 38th verse and then there's 13th chapter. All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel and all the rest also of Israel were of 1 heart to make David king and there they were with David.
Three days eating and drinking for their brethren had prepared for.
Them, For over they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on ***** and on camels and on mules, on oxen and meat meal cakes of figs and bunches of raisins and wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly. For there was joy in Israel.
And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seem good unto you, and let it be of the Lord our God, let us unto brought unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites that are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us.
And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
And all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt, even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the Ark of God from Kurzgearum.
And David went up, and all Israel to Bailah, which is to Curtis Jiram, which belongeth to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the House of Abinadab, an Ahiah grave. The cart.
David and all Israel played before God with all their might.
And was singing, and with harps, and with salt trees, and with timbrels, and with symbols and with trumpets. When they came into the threshing floor of Chidon, ASA put forth his hand to hold the ark. For the oxen stumbled.
The anger of the Lord was kindled against us, and he smote him because he put his hand to the ark, and there he died before God.
David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Azah, therefore that wherefore that place is called Paras Azza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
So David brought not the ark home to himself, to the city of David, that carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite. The ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had.
What I had on my heart rather than to talk about was the way the Lord guides us. And I believe we could say with the Lord's help. We look at the next couple of chapters that He guides us through His Word and He also guides us in answer to prayer. We find that we need both in our Christian life. Very often we find the two brought together and that is praying and reading His Word. And so here we find.
The desire in the heart of David that he would bring back.
The ark of God. But it's important when we have a good desire to be directed by the word of God, and then if we don't have a definite scripture, to turn to the Lord in prayer. For there are some things in life where we don't have a definite scripture, but the Lord is interested in every step of our journey. He cares, He says, of all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
When we see where we began here in this 12TH chapter, that it was a very, very happy occasion. It tells us here that in this 38th verse of the 12TH chapter, all these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest also of Israel were to 1 heart to make David king. We can see that these people, these ones of the nation of.
Israel, they had the right desire, they wanted to make David king, and he was indeed God's king. And we see them coming with one heart. And we're thankful every time we meet anyone who has a heart for the Lord, who loves the Lord, who wants to give him a place of honor in his or her life. And we see this here a very, very happy occasion indeed it was.
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But we are going to see that the important thing.
Is not just that we say, well, we can all go along together without consulting the Word of God. We have to be directed by the Word of God if we're going to walk in the path that is pleasing to Him.
So we see this brought before us here, and as we look at this occasion, it says there were three days eating and drinking. Their brethren had prepared for them fewer. I had been there. We would have enjoyed that time of fellowship very much. Many of us know such occasions when we have come together and had very happy times of fellowship with the people of God. But Christian fellowship is not a substitute for.
The guidance of the Word of God.
God by his Spirit. We remember how when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth.
His parents took him as a child up to Jerusalem, and there they no doubt had a very happy time of fellowship at God's center in Jerusalem. And it tells us that they remained there. And then when they wanted to return home, they started home and it says with their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And I can just imagine how they had a very happy time as they walked along on their way back home.
Thought there was one thing they hadn't noticed, the Lord wasn't there. And it's very easy for us to get so taken up with Christian fellowship and that we forget the importance of the Lord Himself and the light of his word. And so tells us that when they had gone a day's journey, perhaps no doubt talking about the happy time that they had had, they were in the right place there too, at Jerusalem.
They were doing what God had desired for them.
But at the end of the first day, they realized that the Lord was not there. And it says they went back to Jerusalem seeking for him. And I say again, this is really an important lesson for all of us, for myself as well As for each one here, that we should realize the importance of following the light of God's Word. And in the light of God's Word we will have the company of the Lord Jesus.
Because he values obedience.
He says if you love me, keep my commandments. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew we see that.
The Lord Jesus appointed the place where he would meet with his disciples and the only way they could meet with their risen Lord was to listen to his directions and to go where he had asked them to go. And then when they got there, it says when they saw him, they worshiped him. Wasn't the perfect group and never looked for a perfect group because we're all failures at very best, but look for the person.
And you'll find that in the path of obedience.
We can enjoy his company.
Well, after these three days of eating and drinking and joy, poor Christian fellowship is indeed a real joy. Then it says here in the 13th chapter in the first verse. And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.
Well, you might say they were all of one mind. They were all agreed, because read on. It says the thing was right in the eyes of all Israel, and it was right that they should bring up the ark. That was a very good and proper desire. But there was a way that God wanted it to be done, and He had given very specific instructions about that in His Word. He had said that if the ark was to be carried, it was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priest.
But we find here that.
If we can put it in this way that David went by popular opinion, you know, it's easy for U.S. President to just go by popular opinion instead of seeking the light of the word of God. So it tells us here.
That he tells them, but seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere.
And so they made an announcement to them that they were going to bring up this ark of God. But notice what it says here.
That they in the end of the second verse, that they may gather themselves unto us, and let us bring again the ark of God to us. You notice here that it doesn't seem that they were so much exercised about the Lord Himself, because you know when the instructions were given about the ark.
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Way back in the 25th chapter of Exodus, it says that that ark was to be constructed and God said that see that thou make it according to the pattern that I showed to thee on the mount. Nothing was left to the discretion or wisdom of Moses or any of the others who were there in connection with that work. God gave a pattern and they were to follow that pattern. And then he said.
There I will meet with thee.
And there I will commune with thee. So I believe that we could think of the ark as it's brought before us in the Scripture, as the symbol of God's presence among his people.
How wonderful it is to have that blessed privilege and joy of meeting with the Lord. Now I say again, it's very nice to have one another, and I've enjoyed many, many happy times with other Christians, but I believe it's good for us to realize that God has given these kind of instructions in His Word.
And so they were going to bring the ark of God to us. In other words, you can see that the setting here is that they were thinking of something that was their own plan. Although it was right that they should bring the ark, they thought of bringing it to us. But isn't it wonderful? It's the Lord that we want to meet. It says in Hebrews 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him.
Without the camp bearing his reproach.
It's a person, and so we find when the Lord Jesus was here.
How those who really sought Him got the blessing over and over again when they sought Him. Remember in the 1St chapter of John, the Lord said to the disciples, what those two disciples He said, what seek ye? And their answer was, Master, where dwellest thou?
You know, if somebody asked where they would find me, I might give a street address in a certain city, but they said, Master, where dwellest thou? Oh, how important it is, brethren, that Christ should be everything. He's everything for salvation. He's everything for our pathway. He's the he's the gathering center. And we might even know a great deal about the truth of his coming, but we could know that and not have our thoughts upon the person. It's the person, the coming of the.
Who loved us and gave himself for us. But here we can see that there was something that was missing here.
And in the fourth verse it says that all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. And I'm sure that if we were to follow the consensus of thousands of real Christians, why we'd have all kinds of varying ideas about our.
Our pathway and the way of gathering and so on. But isn't it wonderful that we have the word of God and the Bible says His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. God has given us the direction we need. And if I can speak for myself, as I grow older, this book becomes more and more wonderful to me as I see in this wonderful book that God has given to us all.
All that we need for salvation, even for the common everyday relationships of life, all is unfolded to us from the One who knows everything. He's the One, as the Bible says. He's perfect in knowledge and He has given us. And when man goes against the plan of God, whether it's in the way they live or whether it's in the way they gather, it's the way they carry on their everyday life.
Why they only find that they're missing?
That which God intended for our good and blessing on a sometimes said it can make a simple test of any doctrine that is presented by just asking that one question. Does this line of teaching exalt man or exalt Christ?
Because it says in John chapter 16 that when he, the spirit of truth is come.
He will guide you into all truth. Then it goes on to say, He shall.
Glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. And if you're puzzled sometime by a doctrine that's presented, just ask that question. Does this line of teaching that I'm hearing, does that exalt the Lord Jesus, or does it give a certain amount of glory to man for what he has done, even as a Christian, even as a believer, because these people love the Lord.
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I'm not questioning that. It says there were one heart to make David Cain.
There was a great deal of affection for David.
Well, he gathered them all together and it says.
And the sixth verse.
And David went up, and all Israel to Belah that belonged, that is, to Kujist Jiram, which belongs to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God, the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called upon it. Now the cherubim, perhaps you remember they are first brought before us when man sinned in the Garden of Eden. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, and they were driven out, it says God placed at.
Entrance of the Garden of Eden Cherubim and it says they were there to keep the way of the tree of life and a flaming sword that turned every way.
And that, as it were, was saying there's no re entrance to Eden. We're never going to get back to what was in Eden. We're going to get to something better through the work of Christ. But that sword has fallen upon the Lord Jesus and it tells us in Zechariah awake, O sword against my.
Shepherd against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand over the little. 1 And so that sword fell down upon the Lord Jesus, and God has opened a way. And on the top of the ark was the mercy seat. And the cherubim representing God's government looked down. And there the Moses was told that the blood was to be sprinkled, and saw they looked.
Down upon the blood, and God made a way of access into his presence. And so this was what the ark spoke of, that God in wondrous grace had provided a way of access into His presence through the blood. We read in Hebrews chapter 10. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. It's because the precious blood of Christ has been shed, and in the typical sense, the blood is on the mercy.
And we have a way of approach into his presence.
Well, they decided to bring up the ark now, and it had the name of the Lord upon it, you notice, and it says in the seventh verse. And they carried the ark of God on a in a new cart out of the House of Vinadab and Aza, and ahayah, drave the cart.
Now you know this idea, if I can put it that way, this idea didn't come from the Word of God. Where did they get the idea of carrying the ark upon a new cart? Well, if you're to read back, you don't take time, but I'll just mention it. You can search it out for yourself.
The children of Israel had failed. God had allowed the ark to be taken down to the country of the Philistines.
And God had plagued the Philistines for having put that ark in the House of their God. And so they decided to send the ark back. And of course they didn't have the word of God. They didn't have the divine instruction.
So they made a new part and they put the ark on top of the new cart, they put two milskine, they tied up their calves at home and they said now if this ark.
For those two ox oxen driving it without anyone to drive it, just carrying that arc, if it goes back to the land of Israel, then this is the hand of God. Because they knew that no oxen with their calves tied up at home would go without anyone to drive them and carry the ark back. Well, that was all that they knew. They didn't have the word of God. They didn't have the divine instruction.
And so we find here that God overruled and that ark. I find in the other occasion I meant to say that God overruled and he allowed the art to be brought back in that way. But now?
The mistake, if we can speak in this way that David and all these people of Israel made, was that they followed the ideas of the Philistines instead of searching the word of God.
God had made it very plain that the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priests. It was not to be made upon some man made cart, it was to be carried upon their shoulders, and I believe the reason it was to be carried upon their shoulders was that.
As they carried that ark by, it was lifted up above their heads. That is, if anybody saw that going by, they would see that ark covered with a blue cloth going along, but they wouldn't see first of all the men that were carrying it. The men that were carrying it were sort of hidden by the ark being lifted up. And you know, man's plan always brings in something that exalts man.
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We're going to notice in the.
15th chapter When we come to it, that when they did follow God's plan and they carried the ark in God's way. There was a great number of Levites that are mentioned but were not told precisely who it was that carried the ark. God doesn't attract attention to the first man. It's true and wondrous grace. He has saved us and He has given us the privilege of serving him.
But we can't serving him acceptably unless we realize.
The end of the first man we know. That's sad to say. Much of Christendom is occupied with setting man forward, I heard a brother say.
Christendom has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves, and it's hard to pick up a book that doesn't give a great deal of the, shall I say, blow to the person who wrote the book and all his wonderful record and the letters after his name and everything. And what God wants is to honor and exalt his beloved Son. Do you know who God called the greatest among those born of women?
The man who said I'm only a voice, they came to John.
Baptist, that's the person whom the Lord said was the greatest among those born of women. And they said, John, the people want to know who you are. Are you the Christ? And he said no, Are you that prophet? He said no. Well, who are you then, John? He said, I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make his paths right. He totally hid himself, and he sought to honor the Lord.
And so we see that in man's plan, we know who drove the cart, and I'm sure that those men felt greatly honored that they were selected to drive this new cart. I can just see how they would sit there feeling how important they were in that job.
And so while they were driving along, the oxen stumbled. God wasn't pleased. Where did the pattern come from? Not from the Word of God. It came from popular opinion. But if they had only consulted the Word of God, they would have found God's plan. And so I, I want to say, and not only as to the way we gather to worship, but I believe for everything in our lives.
Is most important for us.
To have that childlike prayer of Saul of Tarsus. When the Lord saved him, he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
You remember when the Lord asked the disciples to prepare for the Passover?
They might have said, well, we know a lot of good places, but they didn't. They said, Lord, where wilt thou that we prepare? And he gave them the most careful instructions so that they couldn't mistake the directions that he gave.
And so here the Lord was displeased. The oxen stumbled, and Aza put forth his hand to steady the ark. And the Lord was displeased that this whole plan and scheme.
You know, in Speaking of the ark being above their heads and lifted up, I believe there's something for us to learn in this. I just like to turn to one verse in Matthew Chapter 11.
Matthew, Chapter 11.
In verse 27.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
How we're told here that the sun reveals the Father. So in the Lord Jesus was here, he could say, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father, but it says no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. And I believe, brethren, it's important for us to always remember this, that the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is beyond our natural minds.
How could the one who upholds all things by the word of His power be there as a babe in Bethlehem's Manger? I can't explain it to you, but I believe it. It's above my mind, but it's not above my faith. I believe it because God said it. When the Lord Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, he said no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is.
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In heaven. Now remember I was talking to some children one time, and I said, You know, I can just be in one place at one time. What did the Lord Jesus mean when he was standing there talking to Nicodemus? And he said, No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of man, which is in heaven, how could he be in two places in heaven and also on earth at the same time? And I thought.
There's the simplicity of a child, he said, because he's God, because he's God. And friends, let's always remember this. There have been people who have been tried over and over again to explain the mystery of the glory of the person of Christ, but it's above our minds. No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And so I don't understand it, but I believe it because that blessed person was God and man.
In one person, and those who try to explain and try to figure some way that they can explain away the person of Christ, they always stumble. They always stumble. The oxen stumbled here and he put forth his hand because it wasn't the mind of God that man should be in prominence here. God's I thought God's plan was the ark was to be the prominent place because the ark spoke of Christ and the one who is in the midst of his people.
Well now there's a little thing we notice here in the 12TH verse. It says, and David was afraid of God that day, saying, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? That was a very good question, wasn't it? He didn't at this time consult everybody else and say, well let's talk this over, where do we make our mistake? He says, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? And we're going to see when we.
Come to the 15th chapter that he found the answer, not in all the opinions of man, but he found it in the word of God. There was a howl, there was a way that God had ordered that this ark was to be carried. But now I wanted to also notice this little touching point at the end of the chapter.
So David brought not home the ark, brought not the ark home to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite. And the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. I just like to say a little thought about this. You know, sometimes things come up, troubles come among the people of God.
But.
As long as we value the person and the work of the Lord Jesus, as long as we value the truth of His Word, why? Let's go on. Let's go on and value this. We have seen many of us in our lifetime, things have happened even among the people of God. But I think it's very lovely here to see that when this had happened, that there was one household that sought to remain faithful to the Lord and the Lord blessed.
You know, you have a little pictures of that if you were to turn over, it won't take time, but if you read some time, the 3rd chapter of John, there were things that were happening in the assembly there. And Gaius the apostle writes to Gaius and encourages him to go on faithfully in spite of difficulties that arose among the people of God. You know, brethren, it's very easy to get discouraged when things go wrong, when people do things that upset us.
Trouble us. It's very easy to get discouraged and say I give up. But isn't it lovely to see that the Lord blesses the household that seeks to go on? Sometimes the path gets very narrow. Sometimes we find ourselves, the Lord reduced it in his word to two or three or two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the house, there am I in the midst of them. And I think it's very lovely to see that here's a household that didn't get so discouraged that they gave.
They valued the ark of God, and it was reduced to just one household, but the ark was there, and the Lord blessed them because they had done that. And so I say again, when discouragements come, and they do come among the people of God, things happen that cause a lot of sorrow and trouble. Let's seek to go on, even if it's only a few, because I believe God foresaw what would happen when He brought the numbers down to just two or three and sometimes.
00:30:10
We have seen that when troubles have come, the numbers that seek to be faithful may be very few, but seek to go on. Brethren, seek to walk in obedience to His Word, and He will bless.
Now I just like to read a little bit in this 14th chapter.
And I just like to read from the eighth verse.
And when the Philistines heard it, heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, and David heard of it and went out against them. The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raytheon, and David inquired of God, saying.
John, there were things that were happening in the assembly there, and Gaius the apostle writes to Gaius and encourages him to go on faithfully in spite of difficulties that arose among the people of God. You know, brethren, it's very easy to get discouraged when things go wrong. When people do things that upset us and trouble us, it's very easy to get discouraged and say, I give up.
But isn't it lovely to see that the Lord blesses the household?
Called that seeks to go on. Sometimes the path gets very narrow. Sometimes we find ourselves. The Lord reduced it in his word. Two or three or two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the house, there am I in the midst of them. And I think it's very lovely to see that here's a household that didn't get so discouraged that they gave up. They valued the ark of God and it was reduced to just one household. But the ark was there and the Lord blessed them.
Because they have done that. And so I say again, when discouragement come, and they do come along the people of God, things happen that cause a lot of sorrow and trouble. Let's seek to go on, even if it's only a few, because I believe God foresaw what would happen when He brought the numbers down to just two or three. And sometimes we have seen that when troubles have come, the numbers that seek to be faithful may be very few. But seek to go on, brethren.
Seek to walk in obedience to His Word, and He will bless.
Now I just like to read a little bit in this 14th chapter.
And I just like to read from the eighth verse.
And when the Philistines heard, it heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, And David heard of it and went out against them. The Philistines spread, came and spread themselves in the valley of Raytheon. And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto.
Him go up and I will deliver them into thine hand.
So they came up to bail Paraisin, and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand, like the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Sarrazin. When they had left their gods there, David gave commandment, and they burned them with fire.
Here we find the situation arising and there was no definite Scripture that he could find that told him that at that particular time he was to go out and fight against the Philistines. He didn't know just exactly what to do. And we have situations like that that arise in our lives. We have situations that arise where we have direct guidance of Scripture. God has told us many things. He says be not an equally yoked together with unbelievers.
Tells us to be upright. He tells us to be honest and kind.
Tells us how we should gather in his word. But there are situations that come, maybe somebody here might be seeking a new job and you can't find a verse in the Bible that tells you to go and work for a certain company. You have to pray about something like that. And so when these situations arise and we don't have a direct scripture for them, why God is always approachable. It says in Hebrews chapter 4.
Let us therefore.
Come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Or Mr. Darby's translation says, timely help, timely help. I think that's very lovely because sometimes we get help, but it's not timely. It isn't just at the right moment we need it. But God always gives timely help. And so when these Philistines came up, David didn't venture to go out.
00:35:25
Them until he had first inquired of God, who really believes that David was learning something. He'd inquired from all the others how he should bring up the ark, and he had found that their ideas were not in accord with the word of God. And so in this situation arises. He just simply goes himself to the Lord as though he were saying, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
Another verse says.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Next, this coming weekend, if the Lord will, there are to be meetings in Calgary and I, I can't find any verse in the Bible that tells me whether I should go to Calgary or not, but I can pray about it. And I believe when we are simple and asking the Lord that he's able to direct us in these things. And so we find here that David asked the Lord, the Lord gave him direction for his pathway.
And tells us that he went up, and the Lord undertook for him and.
He granted a great victory for him.
I must say that when we pray and ask these things, it's good for us to be humble. The Bible says hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God? And I don't think anybody here who might have it in their hearts to go to Calgary would say the Lord told me to go to Calgary. They would perhaps tell you that the Lord told them about some particular matter where we have a definite Scripture. And then I could say I know this.
Right, because I can show you the verse that tells me be not an equally yoked together with unbelievers or some other verse that gives us direction for certain facets of our life.
But I don't know any verse that says to go to Calgary. And so when you pray about it, it's a secret between yourself and the Lord. And David didn't go and boast and tell everybody the Lord sent me there. He just went out in a personal, quiet confidence in God.
I've heard people boast the Lord told me to do this, but you know, when you do that and you don't have an ethnic scripture, you're really telling people, well, I'm so near the Lord, I couldn't miss his mind. And you know, we do sometimes we do make mistakes as we know, and so we need to be very humble. But I say he does here, He does answer prayer and He delights to direct us and show us the way wherein we should go.
Now notice the 13th verse. And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. Therefore David inquired again of God. And God said unto him, Go not up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them over against the Mulberry tree. And it shall be when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the Mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go up to battle.
For the Lord has gone forth before thee. Dismissed.
The host of the Philistines, David therefore did as God commanded him, and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gath.
I think it's important we notice this too. We might say, well, when next year comes around, if the Lord leaves us here, well, the Lord sent me last year, so I'm going again. But he didn't.
Here he when he asked the Lord, the Lord said no, there's a different plan this time. It's a little different plan this time.
Don't go out against them, but you make a little different course and the Lord will direct you. Isn't it wonderful that we have all these things in the Word of God? Sometimes we hear people talk that way. Well, that's a precedent and so I'm going to do it that way again. But you know, we need fresh guidance every day. The Bible says thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The thought is.
Is that a lamp to my feet? Is that he just gives us guidance for one step at a time, and if we take that step, he gives us light for the next one. I think of the lights in my car. I think I have pretty good headlights, and I suppose they might shine perhaps 200 feet ahead. But you know, I'll never have light for more than 200 feet unless I move forward. And as I move forward, I get fresh light.
00:40:05
For each 200 feet. And I can travel for miles all night, but if I stop, I'll only have light for 200 feet. And sometimes we wish the Lord would show us what's going to happen in the next year. He says I'll give you light for one step. You take that step, and when the next step.
Comes why ask me again, isn't it wonderful that God delights to direct us in the pathway of life in all these little things. This in this chapter. It wasn't carrying the ark. It was a matter where there was no particular scripture that he could rely upon, but he had one that he could turn to and brethren, we have one, the one that died for us, lives for us, and he's there with timely help for every occasion of need.
Now we come to this 15th chapter and I won't read all the chapter but I just like to pick out parts of it.
15th Chapter First Verse. And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, For them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.
And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it. And David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites.
And in the passing on to the 12TH verse. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
And for because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the Jew order. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of God, of the Lord God of Israel.
And the children of the Levites bear the ark of God upon their shoulders.
With the stage thereof as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord, and David spake to the chief of the Levites, to appoint their brethren to be.
The singers with instruments of music, soul, trees and harps and symbols sounding by lifting up the voice with joy.
And just passing on to the 23rd verse.
And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the Ark.
And then if you go again in the end of the.
24th verse And Obed Edom and Jahiah were doorkeepers for the ark. So David and the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the House of Obed Edom with joy.
And the last verse. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michael the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, saw David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.
Well, here we see.
David has this desire, the same desire he had in the 13th chapter to bring up the ark, but he doesn't go to the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader. He himself has been searching the word of God, and he has found that it's not public opinion that he was to go by. It was what God had said in His Word. And so he comes to these people.
All these of Israel that he had gathered together.
And he speaks with assurance, He speaks with confidence because he had the word of the Lord. And it is not lovely that when you and I have the word of God, then we have confidence even in the matter of salvation. How do I know I'm saved? Because I feel saved? No, because God says so. How do I know the work of Christ is sufficient? Because God says so. And you know we have the word of God in these important matters.
So I think it's very lovely to see David here. Previous time he gathered all the captains and asked their opinion, but now he gathers them together and tells them why. This is what God has said, this is what we have to do. It's not a question of everybody's opinion, it's a question of the way God has said the ark was to be carried.
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There's a great number of names mentioned here, and as I said.
I don't know who it was that carried the ark. Probably different ones took part in it, because we're not told God is not attracting attention to the people who are carrying the ark, but to the ark itself, showing us that the path of obedience is what was pleasing to Him. And so we don't have any oxen stumbling. We don't have the plan failing because it's God's plan. Heaven and earth shall pass away. But my.
Word shall not pass away. Some people say, Oh well that was a custom away back 2000 years ago, but things are changing. We're in 1988 or 9 and we're not to be governed by those old fashioned ideas. God's word doesn't change. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall pass, shall not pass away.
People say, well, we can go back 100 years, We didn't go back far enough. If we want to know the mind of God in connection with the church, we've got to go back to how God set it up. Just like marriage. If you want to know the mind of God about marriage, you've got to go back to what God planned in the very beginning, because he doesn't change his mind. He may allow certain things, He's very gracious in spite of our failures, but his mind doesn't change.
Oh, how wonderful, His Grace.
Well, how wonderful to have His word. And we see David here, his true humility of heart with him. But there's firmness because he knows that God had a plan and he was going to follow the plan that God had ordained.
And I read those verses where it says.
In the 24th verse, I'll just read this whole verse.
And Chevroniah. And Joshua Fat and Nathaniel and.
And Amaziah and Zechariah and Benny I and Eliezer the priest did blow with the trumpets before the Ark of God. And Obed, Edom and Jahaya were doorkeepers for the Ark. I just wanted to call attention to this blowing of the trumpets.
If you were to read in the 10th chapter of Numbers, you would see that God planned for the making of these trumpets. It says they were to be made of one piece of silver, and silver in the Bible is a picture to us of redemption. I say that because God's plan was that when the people were numbered, everyone was to give 1/2 shekel of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and that was called the redemption money.
I'm saying this because it isn't just from our own minds that we get these things. The the silver is a picture of redemption and when those trumpets were made, it says it was to be made from a whole piece of silver. In other words, it's our whole heart belonging to the Lord Jesus. It says ye are not your own, you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which.
God and God told them in the 10th chapter of Numbers that they were to blow with those trumpets over their peace offerings and over their offerings that they made. And so God would never have us to forget that we're a redeemed people and communion with him, which is pictured in the burnt offering and the peace offering can only be through redemption. And so here they were blowing with a trumpet. And what about these door?
First, well, you know, God has told us in his precious word, holiness, become a fine house. Oh, God, forever. No, the enemy tries to break up Christian homes, and he tries to break up God's assembly. And we need to be careful that we follow the directions of the word of God. That's the only directions that we have that are reliable, and they're the truth. They're the word of God. And so there were doorkeepers.
And so we do have to be careful that there is no compromising or giving up of the truth of God.
So lovely to see that David seems to have grown a great deal in his soul in this little time.
He had followed the plan of a whole group of people, but now it's changed. He's searching the word of God. He's seeking to follow the divine pattern, and God is coming in and he's blessing them. And so the ark is brought up, David so happy that it says he's dancing with all his might.
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And we only read of one person that despised him, and that was the daughter of Saul, who looked out of the window and despised him in her heart. And in all the Bible tells us, let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. And I'm sure everyone of us who are in this room know very well that if you can talk about belonging to some popular and recognized group, you will be in a measure.
Least accepted. But if you say, well, we're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we seek to meet together in obedience to his word, you may get some reproach too, but it's the reproach of Christ. It's the reproach of Christ. And so David for carrying out God's plan. Michael didn't look out and despise him when he was following the human plan. And the world will accept to a large extent what?
Itself, but to meet together in simplicity, according to the word of God, does bring reproach. But all David was full of joy. David was doing the will of God. He had the sense in his own soul.
That he was following the Word of God. And that's what gives peace. It's not public a claim, but it's knowing that we are seeking to follow the light and wisdom of God's Word. And now just a few verses before we close in this 16th chapter.
So they brought the ark of God and fed it in the midst of the tent that David had pit for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
I mentioned this before in these burnt offerings and peace offerings, and I think most of us know that there were five different offerings brought before us in Leviticus. There was first the burnt offering, then the meat or meal offering, then the peace offering, then the sin and trespass offering, and those offerings bring before us various aspects of the work of Christ.
To sin and trespass offering bring before us the cross of Calvert, a meeting our need as sinners, and the putting away of sin before God through the work the Lord Jesus accomplished. The meal offering brings before us the perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus because He became a man that says he was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.
And so then we have the burnt offering and the peace offering. I'd just like to say a few words about them because I believe it's very precious to see them brought in here.
The burnt offering brings before us a picture of the Lord Jesus offering himself without spot to God, in obedience to the will of His Father.
It really is what the work of God, what the work of the Lord Jesus is.
To the heart of God.
And I just like to give a little illustration, so perhaps you can catch the thought by an illustration.
Supposing that.
I owed a great debt and I'm not able to pay the debt. And a friend comes along and says, Gordon, just give me the bills and I'll settle them for you. And he takes the bills and he goes to my creditor. He pays the bills in full and he comes back and I puts a receipt in my hand, paid in full, paid in full. Now I'm I'm out of debt. I'm very happy because.
I know that my debt is paid.
I don't know anything about whether my creditor likes me or not. All I know is that he's satisfied with the payment.
But let us suppose something else. Let's suppose I have a great depth where that creditor that I'm not able to pay.
And this creditor loves me and he looks on his book and he sees that great debt there. And he says to his son, would you be willing to sell your house so he could raise the money and take this debt off our book? If you'll do that, I'll send a receipt to Gordon Hale and I'll mark on it paid in full through the kindness of my son. And one day, to my great surprise, I get this receipt in the mail.
Well, I know I'm not a debt.
But I know a lot more. I know a lot more. I've learned in all the heart of my creditor. He loved me. And not only that, he has a wonderful son who would be willing to do that.
Brother, that's the burned off.
And that's why it comes first.
And I'm sure that if I went over to thank my creditor, he would like me to hear. He'd like to hear me say, oh, I want to say how much I think of your son. You must think he's a wonderful person. And so do I. And brethren, the work of Calvary lets us know the heart of God, and that's what it means. The Lord Jesus offered himself without spot to God before I was afraid to meet my creditor made me uneasy even after I had the receipt.
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He wasn't any special friend of mine, but how do I feel now and walking down the street and I see him on the other side and I want to go over and talk to him.
Wonderful person he is. That's the peace offering, peace offering, or the communion offering, and you and I can have communion with God. Brethren, our debts not only paid, but the one who paid it is God's own beloved Son, sent by him in love. The heart of God fully told us Christ, the perfect obedient one, offering himself, as Ephesians says.
With a thought to God. And so here you find when the ark is brought up to its place.
They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. That's why, brethren, when we come together on Lord's Day morning, we come in the realization of this. And what a joy it is to think that that my creditor himself is the one who sent his son to pay my debt and who assures me of his love to me. Well, here we find them offering me sacrifices.
And in the third verse, and it says, And he dealt to every one of Israel.
Both man and woman to everyone. A loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and a wine.
Well, they had to go to their homes again, and we have to go to our homes again too. We can't always be sitting under the sound of the word. We have to go to our employment. We have to go home to the duties of home and all this. But as they went, they went away rejoicing in their hearts. They received something that they were able to carry home. And I hope as we think of the Lord Jesus and what He has done for us and what He means to us.
And all this instruction that's given to us in his word that we'll go home in the same way with something in our hearts, something that really brings Christ before us, a loaf of bread. You know, the Lord Jesus said he was the true bread that came down from heaven.
And then it says a good piece of flesh. I think of the Lord Jesus, who came down here in this world and walked through this world in perfect obedience. A man offered himself without spot to God.
And then the flagging of wine brings before us the joy that all this brings, the joy that we have. And as we meditate upon our precious Savior and what He's done for us, provision He's made for us through His Word, the access that He's given into His presence, doesn't that fill our hearts with joy too? Doesn't it make us want to thank Him more and more as we think of all He means to us and all He's done for us? Well, may the Lord grant this may be so.
And that these precious lessons brought before us in type and shadow, mainly hold of our hearts.
As God has given us instruction in His Word, but He's also given us many wonderful pictures in His Word too. Somehow pictures make things more vivid to me. I can read instructions, but a picture seems to make it vivid. God's given both. He's given the instruction and He's given the pictures. He wants these things to be real, to be vivid, to be actual facts that we know and enjoy as receiving them from Him.
Because he loves us. He loved us in the Lord Jesus. As Paul could say, the Son of God who loved me gave himself for me.