In view of the general character of what passes current for Christianity in the present day, we need constantly to be reminded that it is not a fair exterior that meets the eye of Him who looketh, not on the outward appearance, but, on the heart; nor will even the greatest accuracy in spiritual things be accepted by Him as a substitute for a heart won and held by Christ Himself. How apt we are to make more of the place than of the Person (who makes the place what it is); more of the blessings than of the Blesser; and the soul is thus subtly beguiled from its first simplicity, from its cleaving with purpose of heart unto the Lord (" thou hast left thy first love").
There is ever the tendency to drift into mere religiousness, and, " having the form," to relegate everything to the coming together into one place; coming together very often as those who-like clocks-require to be wound up for another week, instead of being drawn by the power of irresistible attraction around Himself, to pour out of hearts, He has been causing to overflow throughout the week, what they can no longer contain in His presence. Even to Israel it was said, " None shall appear before Me empty" (Ex. 23:15; 34:2015Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) (Exodus 23:15)
20But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. (Exodus 34:20); Deut. 16:1616Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: (Deuteronomy 16:16)).
If we think of God manifest in the flesh, how was He so manifested? Was it not by, and in, dwelling among us; and, as it is put in that heart-touching word referring to His public ministry, " All the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us," and this has its voice to us, has it not, beloved Saints of God? That is to say, in all the common places, as we speak, of every-day life, the going out and the coming in-yea-as we find it in the first Psalm, in every attitude of the body, whether walking, standing or sitting, the life is to be the outcome of what the heart is finding its delight in. In the Psalm alluded to, the delight of the heart is in the law of Jehovah, consequently, the motions of the body-walking, standing, sitting-are in keeping with that in which the delight is. Nor is it a spasmodic enjoyment, confined to rare occasions, or only finding its expression in the great congregation, but " in His law doth he meditate day and night." Hence-freshness is characteristic-" like a tree planted by the rivers of water," and fruitfulness also, " that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Ah! beloved! we can, it may be, accurately define what marks this present dispensation as to its distinctive privileges and blessings, in contrast with what preceded it, and all the while our hearts may be very far behind what this Psalm describes, viz., the heart's delight and the heart's meditation, day and night, affecting and determining the motions of the body, and resulting in freshness, fruitfulness, no signs of drought, and prosperity in "whatsoever he doeth; " for surely if my doings are the outcome of my delight of heart in Him, they cannot but prosper. (1 John 3:2222And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:22).)
It is not a heart delighting in its own state nor blessings, but in the revelation of God Himself. And what a revelation of Himself as the Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, has placed before the eyes of our hearts, in' which to delight, and upon which to meditate-as well we might-by day and by night! And how the Father addresses Himself to our hearts! He calls us dear children (Eph. 5:1). What affection! And as dear children we are to be imitators of Him, that thus the Father might be glorified by us. Thus He addresses •His whole family, and tells us how to walk. But, I do not walk in order to have the Father call me His dear child, but because He has Himself placed me in that relationship; and that, not because' of my behavior, but, "having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (Eph. 1:55Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)). Thus He has a Father's right to be heard in His family circle as a whole, and He has also His voice for each dear child, in whatever position such may be placed. He consequently looks into our dwellings, and there addresses the wives, the husbands, the children, the fathers, the servants, the masters, and again His whole family circle (Eph. 5 and 6).
In chap. 5., having told us how to walk, He plainly intimates what is unbecoming and not to be once named among us; and, while we are all agreed that two of the things specified are of a gross character, yet we do well to note the company in which the third thing is placed, see third verse: "Fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness." Read 4th and 5th verses likewise, and note that, while the first two ugly things are again mentioned in verse five, the third is also again mentioned and commented upon, thus: " Nor covetous man, who is an idolater " (see also Col., 3:5, " covetousness, which is idolatry "), that is to say, covetousness displaces God, and enthrones an idol in His place. Beloved, are we free from the spirit of this gross evil, the heinousness of which the Spirit of God here takes pains to put before us; an evil which brought the first blot upon the church's history, through Ananias and Sapphira; and with what has that first foul stain been followed up? Remembering that it could once be written: " Neither said any that ought of the things which he possessed was his own " (Acts 4:3232And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. (Acts 4:32)), with what sorrow we read at a later day: " All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's" (Phil. 2:2121For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. (Philippians 2:21)). And yet further, when the church's shame has become her boast, we hear: " I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." " I sit a queen " (Rev. 3:17; 18:717Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)
7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (Revelation 18:7)).
Again let me ask, do we consider ourselves as exempt from this common danger?
Ah! beware, remember that favored Xing Hezekiah, of old, who " trusted in Jehovah, God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him, for he clave to Jehovah and departed not from following Him" (2 Kings 18:5,65He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. (2 Kings 18:5‑6)), and Jehovah wrought wondrously for His people and their king; but, left to himself in one matter (see 2 Chron. 32:3131Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. (2 Chronicles 32:31)), where was this favored one?
What occasioned Jehovah's question through the lips of His prophet: "What have they seen in thine house?" Ah! what, but the fact that a king with such a record had fallen a prey to this heinous evil-covetousness, and Jehovah and Jehovah's house were forgotten and displaced by Hezekiah's house and its contents. Mark the prophet's question; not, what have they heard, but, what have they seen in thine house?
The One who addresses us as dear children would have us know and remember, that He is interested uninterruptedly in all our doings; noting (not as a detective standing on my doorstep, but) as a Father all who cross the threshold of my dwelling, and what is spread out before their eyes inside the house. It is a day of great swelling words, but He is seeking from us a life responsive to the relationship that He Himself bath established, and no loud professions from our lips belied by the life. What have they seen?
Too frequently have we spoken and acted as if all the wondrous truths made known to Gentile sinners, as we were, were merely to find their expression in our coming together; whereas in Eph. 5, my Father tells me what He wants to be seen in my house, even the expression in the smallest details of life, and amid all its chafing, of that great mystery, "Christ and the Church." "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church."
HEZEKIAH. “ In those days was Hezekiah sick unto Death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him and said unto him, Thus saith The Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.”—(2 Kings 20:1-31In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, 3I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. (2 Kings 20:1‑3).)
PAUL. “According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die gain ... . Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” “Willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” —(Phil. 1:20, 21, 2320According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20‑21)
23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23); 2 Cor. 5:88We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8))
HEZEKIAH'S HOUSE. " And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures.”—(2 Kings 20:1313And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. (2 Kings 20:13))
PAUL'S HOUSE. " And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ." -(Acts. 28:30-31)