DRAWING NEAR TO GOD
[p. 421] DRAWING NEAR TO GOD
Hebrews 10: 21; Genesis 24: 2 - 5; Genesis 43:16,17; Genesis 43:23, 24; Exodus 4: 14 - 17
These scriptures illustrate the place the Lord Jesus has in the house of God, summed up in the expression in Hebrews which speaks of Him as “a great priest over the house of God”. I wish to dwell on these passages with that in view, so that we, as the Lord may help us, may be encouraged to draw near to God. God is in heaven, we are told, and we upon earth, but that is not because He wishes to put a distance between Him and us; He has found a means of drawing near to us, and correspondingly of our drawing near to Him. As we see in Jacob, in connection with whom the house of God is introduced, there is in the ladder the divine suggestion of communication. The idea of a ladder between heaven and earth would be ridiculous in the eyes of the mere astronomer, but it is perfectly intelligible to faith. Faith understands where the astronomer cannot understand. So God would indicate to us that He wishes us near to Him, not simply as having been brought near from His own side, but that we should draw near from our side, and should think it worth while to do so. He says, “I have borne you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself”, but then in the presence of that He inaugurates a system in mount Zion in relation to which His people were to draw near from their side, and to draw near not empty, but full, for “none shall appear before me empty”, Exodus 34:20.
Now having made these remarks, before dwelling on the passage in Hebrews, I would seek to indicate from the Old Testament scriptures read, how this principle of one being set over the house began early. Although the house of God was not formally introduced [p. 422] in relation to Abraham, the household of faith was seen in him and in his house; and before we can understand the house of God we must understand the household of faith. These types are intended to help believers from their spiritual infancy to their manhood; the types are very largely for young believers; and though they may seem difficult, as soon as we recognise the Spirit, and read, considering what is said, the Lord gives us understanding and the types become wonderful to us. The things of God that seem distant otherwise, are brought very near to the eye in detail, in the types, so that we peculiarly learn in part. Then we learn how to put the parts together, for that is one more feature of the types and of the initial history of the christian, to know how to put things together; so that the household of faith is wisely introduced in Scripture before the house of God. Indeed the “father of all them that believe” is introduced even earlier. The name Abram signifies ‘High father’, that is to say, the suggestion is that his family will be brought up on principles morally higher than the principles of this world; and then he is called Abraham, the ‘Father of a multitude’, meaning that he is qualified to be that, in that he bears the character of moral elevation. It is the epistle to the Romans which prepares the believer for the household of faith; it tells us that Abraham was the father of all believers. Now that is an initial thought, but an important one; for the christian that is believing in the Lord Jesus is brought into, and regarded by heaven as in, the household of faith; that is to say, we have people who look at things on that principle. The astronomers do not, nor do any scientific men, as such, look at things on that principle, whereas believers all do; beginning with the cross they look at it on that principle, and therefore they know more really than the scientific men, as seeing things from the divine standpoint.
[p. 423] Now that ought to appeal to everyone, especially to the young, that you are brought into a family that is governed by the principle of faith; not merely for salvation, but faith in regard of everything; that we are in a dispensation of faith; that God is carrying on His affairs now on that principle, so that we have access into His secrets, whereas the cleverest men in this world are outside of them. I am not excluding the Spirit, so the Spirit comes in on that principle. The Spirit is given to those who have faith, so that we have the means, beloved, not indeed of searching the depth of the physical creation — that is to pass away — but “the depths of God”, the depths of the Creator, which is a far greater thing!
So the first point in regard of these scriptures is that in the household of faith there is an overseer. He is first alluded to, as you will recollect, by name”Eliezer of Damascus”, Genesis 15: 2. Abram does not refer to it there to distinguish him, he is simply a ‘son of his house’, meaning that he was just a domestic, or a slave, you might say, and Abraham was distressed that such an one should be his heir. But in chapter 24 the viewpoint is different, and we have no name given. Although this ruler of Abraham’s house was there when Hagar fled — she had a place in the household of faith, but she fled from it — the idea was there; but now it is Abraham’s “servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had”. No name is given, because, although we know that he is over the house from the scriptures, the way of God is to bring us to things before we name them. We have the New Testament Scriptures now, in which things are named for us, and we may use these names in a very inexperienced way, even the natural mind can take them up; but in the school of God the principle is that I learn a thing and experience a thing, and then I name it. And so in Genesis 24, the point is to stress for the young believer that there is such a thing as this kind [p. 424] of overseership in the household of faith, someone who rules over all that is there, over all that Abraham has as the ‘high father’ and the ‘father of a multitude’. He is evidently not a very vigorous kind of person, he does not rule with severity, but the believer comes to discover in due course as he believes the testimony of the gospel, that in the household of faith latitude, and looseness in general, and independency of thought and action, are foreign to this new family into which he is brought. He begins to see that there is a gentle, but nevertheless definite, rule in it, and he begins to see that it is for his good. As a matter of fact, the service of the Ruler of this house is to discover in the believer what is pleasing to Christ; He is looking out for something that the Lord Jesus died for, and He is putting forth His rule in a gentle but yet definite way in regard of that. He is over all that Abraham has, so to speak, and is concerned about what is dear to Christ; that is His particular business in chapter 24, and He carries out His service admirably and most successfully. If we give Him place He will discover, and give us to understand, that there is something pleasing to Christ in us, and that is a great leverage in the soul when the thought comes into it that there is at least something that is pleasing to the Lord. So this Steward over Abraham’s house undertakes His service with the greatest care; He thinks out the difficulties of the way, for He has to do with young believers among whom we all have our part. Who is it that has had to do with young believers who does not well know the difficulties of getting at what belongs to Christ in them, and at what Christ cherishes? Now that is the ministry of this steward of Abraham’s house in chapter 24. You will observe that Abraham is very old here, whereas what was to be sought out was to be young. The steward is old, too, but he has got universal sway in the household of faith; the older the better as regards [p. 425] experience, and this steward knew exactly the difficulties he had to contend with in his mission; but he overcomes them, as we have seen, not in a harsh way, but in a careful, calculated way, and on the principle of dependence upon God. What a fine thing it is to come in contact with this experienced element in the house, marked by dependence on God, and yet persistently seeking out that which Christ cherishes! The Lord has bought the field, according to the parable, because of the treasure in it, and also because of the pearl. He has bought the field in relation to the treasure, and His eye scans it day and night, to discover the treasure, so that He can set it free of false associations and encumbrances.
Now that is the idea of overseership, of one being over the household of faith, in this type; so that the servant is not occupying us with himself, and his name is not given, the point being to carry out the wish of Abraham and to secure what Isaac needs, and in this service he succeeds. The object is young, as I said, a maiden, typical of the young believer, but viewed as setting forth in principle the assembly, as that which the Lord is seeking. So this element in the household of faith is active day and night, to secure what the heart of Christ is set upon in believers, in young believers particularly, and the type shows the end, so that we might be encouraged that the end will be reached; for he finds Rebecca. The story is well known to us, but it should be studied from the standpoint now presented as bearing on the young christian; so that he comes to see the wisdom of this old experienced servant, involving an example for him in dependence; he sees the wisdom of it in the way it has reached him, and in the way it has secured him for Christ, to have part in the assembly. What can be greater, beloved, than that we should have part in that upon which the Lord Jesus has set His heart, and that for which He gave Himself?
[p. 426] That is the first feature, and one which will be intelligible to everyone, that the principle of rule, or overseership, or authority, is exercised in matured experience and consideration and thoughtfulness, so as to secure its object, and dispel for ever from the mind of the believer all thought of independency, for independency deprives me of my greatest advantages.
Now the next feature of this rule in one over the house, is seen in Joseph’s house. It is a bit further on as to the place it has in the history of the believer, but is of equal importance with what I have just dwelt upon. It is a question of the same kind of rule in the house, but in relation to the securing of the brethren: the believer comes into the idea of being set with the brethren of Christ. We need this rule if we are to reach that end, as much as in the other case. So you find that as Benjamin goes down with the brethren and comes into the view of Joseph, we get the mention of this man, or overseer, of his house. The Scriptures are marvellously accurate, whether the Old or New Testament, and they bear on us, for every line of them is written for christians. God is working out such a wonderful scheme at the present time, and securing such a wonderful result, that all the Scriptures are brought to bear upon us. So when I get the thought of one over the household of faith as a steward, I next come into the thought of one over the household of Joseph. Joseph is more directly a type of Christ than Abraham was. Abraham is the great father but Joseph represents Christ as the One who has brethren, and who will not be satisfied until He has them all, for He needs them all. Every one of us is needed by the Lord to form His “brethren”, He secures an exact number; there are to be many, but the number, we may be certain, is determined, and all are necessary. We see the principle in Jacob’s family and it runs through. Joseph in his wisdom is set to have them all but to have them on his own [p. 427] terms. There are many who take up the appellation “brethren” with little idea of the moral import of the term. We know that the evangelists give us a fourfold view of the “brethren” — I do not go into that now — but the appellation implies moral characteristics, and family characteristics, and the Lord is bent on securing that everyone bears these characteristics; and for this the principles of a man over His house is necessary. Now you will understand I am not speaking of the stewards of Abraham, and Joseph, as mere persons, for I have intimated before, that it is not a question of persons, but of these elements being found among believers, and as found, they are helpful and essential to our coming into the thing in view. The verses I read in Genesis 43 will indicate to you how interesting a man this was; his name is not given any more than that of Abraham’s steward in chapter 24; it is the element that is in view; he comes into view immediately Benjamin is in sight. Benjamin is like the overcomer, he is the brother who has not offended, the others had, but as soon as he comes into the view of Joseph, this man over his house is immediately mentioned, and he is under Joseph; his attitude is perfectly in keeping with the mind of Joseph, he knows exactly what is going on. Now if we are awake to this, beloved, it will have a very real effect upon us in producing a certain sure vigilance, without any assumption attaching to it, that knows what is transpiring to the end that Joseph’s mind should be carried out. Now see how this servant agrees with the mind of Joseph. Joseph directs him to bring the men into his house; it is the house of a great personage — the Son of God, in type, who would bring all of us into accord with Himself as His brethren. This element is subservient to His thought, it is current and active all the time, for I may add that whilst these things work out in one way or another in the Lord’s people through the [p. 428] power of the Spirit, they could not be in the house without the presence of the Holy Spirit. And so Joseph directs this servant to bring the men into the house, and they are concerned about being brought into the house. The brethren begin to feel that after all he may be using the word ‘brethren’ to them, and they have not realised what it means; and there has been conduct, there has been state, wholly out of keeping with it, so we can well understand their perturbation as they come to the door of the house. What is outside is very different from what is inside, and so they reason with the man, as you will observe, at the door. It says in verse 19, “They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, and said, O, sir, we came indeed down at the first to buy food; and it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food; we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said, Peace be to you, fear not”. Now, dear brethren, what is in the minds of these men at the door of Joseph’s house, is money, they are thinking of money, they are thinking of the money they had, and how it was put into their sacks, and how they brought more money down; but a place in Joseph’s house, a place among the brethren of Christ, is not on that principle at all. We have to understand the ground on which things are in the house. It is not on the principle of money; these men were full of the idea of money, the money they had, and the money they brought down in addition, but this steward of Joseph’s house says to them, “Peace be unto you”. He knew all about that. This refers to the secret workings of the Spirit of God on these principles of oversight and authority, and [p. 429] yet there is no pretension attaching to it, for the Spirit Himself is here in the most subservient way, in the subservience of love, to secure the divine end; He would banish from us for ever the thought of securing a place with money. As Peter says to Simon Magus in Acts 8, “Thy money go with thee to destruction, ... Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter”. I do not say that was so with these men, but they did not understand what Joseph understood. Christ is bent on securing your heart as one of the brethren, and this element of overseership is active all the time to secure it. If you will look back on your history, you will see how it has been working. He says, “Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money”. Now this is a lesson I would commend to all: how beautifully consolingly this man, this ruler over Joseph’s house, spoke to these men: without his name being mentioned, but at the same time giving them to know that he knew all about them; and he connects God with them, and with their father; how he dignifies them! Now that is what we find as we approach the door of Joseph’s house. We need to understand that God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and presently we shall know that He is our God, too, and our Father, and that we are the brethren of Christ.
Well now, I proceed to show you how this principle of the Lord’s place over the house of God is illustrated in Aaron. I cannot say very much about Aaron; much has been said, but he represents the full thought illustrated in these three types. “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they seek the law”, Malachi 2: 7. We have now come into Exodus, where things are to be regulated formally and divinely; that is to say, Exodus gathers up the instruction in Genesis, and fits us for the assembly in [p. 430] type, where we each have our place. Everything is according to measure, in Exodus, and as the pieces or parts of the tabernacle are set up, each part is functioning; that is to say, intelligence marks the believer in Exodus, and Aaron is representative of this intelligence, and what comes out of that is good speaking. He could speak well. The history of Exodus shows that Aaron had a way of speaking that attracted people, and turned them from the world; as the people were about to return to Egypt (Exodus 16), yearning for the fleshpots, Aaron spoke to them, and such was the power of his voice and of his words, that they turned towards the wilderness when he spoke. Who but Christ, beloved, the Great Priest in heaven as set out in Hebrews, could so control by His words, the hearts of the saints, that they turn away from the world, and turn towards the wilderness? The whole epistle to the Hebrews is just a matter of the power of the Priest turning our hearts away from the world, towards the wilderness where the tabernacle is. It says, “We have such a one high priest ... minister of the ... true tabernacle, which the Lord has pitched, and not man” (Hebrews 8: 1, 2); it is the greatness of the Priest, and we have Him! That is the idea presented in Aaron. The Lord says to Moses, “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also behold, he goeth out to meet thee”, Exodus 4: 14. Dear brethren, how touching that is as applying to the Lord! He is the One that goes out to meet the brethren; He takes a long journey to meet the brethren, and when He sees them He is glad in His heart. That is the idea, and so the service of Aaron throughout is to encourage the hearts of the saints. The end is seen in his rod — Aaron’s rod — which should denote the authority I am speaking about; it is the rod with which Moses is to approach the rock in Numbers 20, to bring forth the water. It is Christ [p. 431] in that way, the true Priest of God as seen in the epistle to the Corinthians. The apostle did not come with the rod, he had it, but he did not bring it; instead of that he sends Timothy, who is like himself. In priestly attitude Timothy would make known to them, “my ways as they are in Christ”. Timothy would speak to them, he would not use the rod, he would approach the brethren and speak to them. Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, “Speak ye unto the rock”; it is the time of speaking. The rock was to give forth its water, and it did so.
Having said that about Aaron, there are a few remarks to be made on the passage in Hebrews 10, which I have already anticipated. You will observe that He is the Great Priest over the house of God; it is no longer a mere principle or element, but a Person, a known Person, set over the house of God. The first mention of it is in chapter 3 where He is said to be Son over it. Moses was a servant in the house, “a ministering servant”, and faithful in it; Christ is Son over it. He is over it, as having built it; such is the greatness of the house as referring to what the Son has set up. What He has set up is for ever and He rules over it as Son; that gives it its dignity. He is “a merciful and faithful high priest”, so that we may know that He has the fullest sympathy with us. Hebrews shows how He comes in on the side of the brethren, “Since therefore the children partake of blood and flesh, he also, in like manner, took part in the same, that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil; and might set free all those who through fear of death through the whole of their life were subject to bondage”, Hebrews 2: 14, 15. So chapter 4 says that we have a “great high priest” not yet over the house, but we have Him, and in that understanding we draw near to the throne of grace. But the house is not mentioned till chapter 10, because God would bring us to the [p. 432] understanding of it, and the place Christ has in it, and that it is ruled over by Himself as the Great Priest. He is great personally, He is great in a moral sense; He is great enough to get alongside the weakest of us, and support and encourage us as we draw near to God. So the word here is, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness for entering into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way which He has dedicated for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and having a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, sprinkled as to our hearts from a wicked conscience, and washed as to our body with pure water”. That is what God is set for, and Hebrews sets out the furnishings for it, so that the weakest believer should draw near. Why should we stay at a distance from God? Think of the service of such an One as this the Great Priest over the house of God! He is there to support us as we essay to draw near to God. It is as we start, as we make a move, that we realise His support. Many do not understand how to draw near to God, because they do not take the initiative; it is as taking the initiative you come in for the support of this Great Priest, and He supports you right through into the very holiest where God is, into the holiest of all. One is made conscious the further one enters, of one’s fitness for the place, that one is no stranger there, that one belongs to it. “Both he that sanctifies and those sanctified are all of one”; it belongs in that way to the sanctified. That is the idea of the holiest, we are equal to the place, because the Lord is the Sanctifier — “for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren”.
That was what I had in mind, dear brethren, and I trust that God will use the word so that we may draw near with more intelligence and energy.