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BLESSINGS, EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY

^[p. 176] BLESSINGS, EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY

I want to throw out a few thoughts, no doubt familiar to a great many here, to indicate the difference between the character of the blessings in the time to come, and the character of the blessings that belong to Christians at the present moment. I wish to speak as simply as possible, so that all may share in some degree in the benefit of what has been before us at these meetings; but all I can do is just to throw out a few thoughts, which I trust may help to start you on the line.

It is a fact that we learn most things by contrast; our minds are so constituted that there are really few things that we learn except in that way. I could show you how in the word of God things are continually presented in contrast, because God knows well what poor feeble things we are, and He puts things before us in that way so that our minds may be able, in measure, to comprehend them.

I want to bring before you some things which will characterise the millennial age, what God has in view for that time. I see distinctly in the word of God that from the time sin came into this world, God had in view a world of His own, and I always read Hebrews 2 as connecting itself with “the world to come, whereof we speak”. Every trait of faith there brought out in principle connects itself with that world. The world here was ruined by man listening to the enemy, the enemy obtained a footing in it, and Satan has now come out as the god and prince of this world. Such a world will not do for God. God may bear with it and work out His ways in it; but it will not do for God; and what God made known to faith was that He would have a world of His own. In the epistle to the Hebrews we have the revelation of the ^[p. 177] world to come, and what marks it is, that everything is put under the Son of man. God has not put the world to come under angels, but under the Son of man.

What I will speak of first are the blessings which mark the world to come. I can only present to you two or three features connected with it.

In order to make the thing clear and orderly I will first speak of it in connection with God, and will seek to show you the place which God will have, then the place which Christ has distinctively, and finally what will mark man on earth in the time to come.

In regard to the first, God made known, from ever the time that a real type of redemption came in, that He intended to dwell among men on earth. I suppose everyone here knows what I refer to — the redemption of His people out of Egypt in virtue of the blood of the passover Lamb. God’s purpose was not only to redeem them — it was that He might dwell among them. The moment they come into the wilderness we get God’s dwelling-place: that is what the book of Exodus presents. If you sum up the book, the first thing is redemption, the deliverance of His people; the second is the order of God’s dwelling. He was going to set up His dwelling-place among His people. When we get to Leviticus we have the truth of approach to God; the tabernacle was there, and Leviticus brings before us the great truth of approach to God. I merely refer to that as indicating the order of God’s purposes. It has often been pointed out that God did not dwell with Adam or with Abraham; but when God has a redeemed people, then it is that He can establish His dwelling-place.

I would just turn for a moment to Leviticus 16:5,6; Leviticus 16:15,16, the day of atonement. It is evident in the day of atonement that all is founded on redemption, whatever comes out is grounded on the fact that God has been completely glorified in the death of Christ. The ground of reconciliation is that Christ was made ^[p. 178] sin, and that sin has been put away from before God. God has been completely glorified in it, and the witness is that the blood is sprinkled on and before the mercy-seat. You cannot get a more striking type of the effect of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ than in what took place on the day of atonement. I would just notice, too, that the day of atonement did not come in until after the sin of the priests, after Nadab and Abihu had offered strange fire, and the link of the people with God through the priesthood was thus broken.

The day of atonement — you might call it the day of reconciliation — presents the fact that God has been completely glorified in the putting away of sin. The blood is sprinkled on and before the mercy-seat.

There is no doubt a difference between the import of the bullock and that of the goat; yet we find that precisely the same thing was done with the blood of the goat as was done with the blood of the bullock: the blood of each was sprinkled on and before the mercy-seat. Whatever may result from it, the foundation of all lies in this, that God has been glorified in the putting away of sin by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe the ultimate application of the blood in each case introduced, in type and shadow, the heavenly and the earthly. The blood of the bullock was carried into the holiest; it was for Aaron and his house — the ground of approach for the priestly family. If you look at the antitype, the reality, it was Christ and the church — that is what is usually typified by Aaron and his sons. All go in together on the ground that God has been glorified in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am not now speaking of what Christ was personally or of what was due to Him, but of His identification with the priestly family. “Both he that sanctifieth” — that is Christ — “and they that are sanctified are all of one” — they go in on the same ground. That is connected with the blood of the bullock.

The blood of the goat was the ground on which the tabernacle of God could remain among the children of Israel. God saw fit to have a dwelling-place down here; and the ground on which God will have a dwelling-place among men in the future is the same as that on which we have boldness to enter into the holiest. Leviticus 16 gives us the basis, in death, of God’s ways in reconciliation. In Colossians 1 we find everything put upon that ground: Christ has made peace by the blood of His cross, that He might reconcile by Himself all things unto God.

I have said this, beloved friends, in order to show you that the first item and element of the blessing of man in the millennial earth will be that God will dwell among them. His tabernacle will be cleansed from all uncleanness and filthiness by the work of Christ, and God will dwell among His people. Could you conceive a greater privilege than to have God dwelling here? Men on the earth at that time will have more than Adam or Abraham had: they will have the unspeakable privilege of God setting His dwelling-place among His people. I have often asked myself the question, What will occupy men’s minds in the time to come, when there will be no great business activity, no great excitement in connection with politics or war? If all these things were taken away from people now they would be very dull. Well, I will tell you what I see — and just submit the thought to you — God intends to let the present world, so to speak, wear itself out. He will allow it to be seen that the present world with all its activity, energy, and ability, has not been able to secure happiness for man. I challenge any thoughtful person as to whether the inventive skill of the present day tends in the direction of happiness. What I see is that the great inventions of the present day are turned to promote covetousness;

^[p. 180] a new thing to be successful must turn to moneymaking. Instead of tending to the happiness of man, these things tend in the opposite direction. God will allow the folly of the world to be exposed, and it will be made manifest that all man’s skill and intelligence have not tended to his happiness, because he is away from God. The great discoveries of the present day are in the ascertainment and application of the laws of nature. Men cannot make laws, but they find out laws, and learn to apply them. But who gave those laws to nature? If the God who gave those laws to nature is dwelling upon earth, it will be a greater thing for men’s minds to be occupied with the One who gave those laws than with the laws themselves. There is a great deal in that, because God’s ways will be unveiled, His wisdom all comes out in the time to come. One great element, then, of the time to come will be the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth; and He will be known by His people as a God of mercy, for He will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities He will remember no more. These are what I may call the first elements of blessing of the world to come; God will dwell here on the ground of what Christ has accomplished, and more than that, the knowledge of the blessed God Himself will be here, and that will be better than everything man can find out by investigation of the laws He has established.

Now I will say a word in regard to the place that Christ will have in the world to come. It comes out in the most beautiful way in the Psalm I have read. Just notice the striking close of the Psalm: “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended”. David has nothing more to ask for; all his prayers have their answer in the glory of the King’s Son. The chapter is a prayer for the king’s son, and I do not think anyone can doubt that the Psalm refers to the true Son of David, not to Solomon. It may have been fulfilled to ^[p. 181] some degree in Solomon, but the real application of the Psalm is to Christ, the true Son of David. All nations shall call Him blessed. Christ has died to sin, and from the rudiments of the world, and is no longer known after the flesh; but I should not care to say He has died to men, because I do not find Scripture say so. Men are to be blessed in Him — not only the priestly company in heaven, but men upon earth shall be blessed in Him. They will be blessed under the peaceful rule of the King’s Son. As the true David He will subdue His enemies, and as the true Solomon He will reign in peace. Moses and Aaron combined give us a type of Christ: He will come out as King and Priest and will bless the people, and men will be blessed in Him. I picture to myself the world to come as something like Israel in their tents, as Balaam saw them abiding in divinely appointed order, in the vision of God. That will have its application, in a certain sense, in the world to come; all will, so to say, be covered by Christ under the eye of God. It will be a great thing, beloved friends, when the true Moses, the true Aaron — King and Priest — comes forth and all nations call Him blessed. That will be a very blessed time down here, a time of peace, security, and contentment. How much are these things known now?

One word more in regard to men. What I find in regard to men is this, that in all God’s dealings in grace there is and must be in them the one and new foundation — the foundation in man will be new birth; Ezekiel 36. God by His Spirit works in sovereign power in man, and lays the foundation for whatever superstructure it may please Him to erect upon that foundation. The superstructure in the world to come will be the law — His people will get the blessings of the new covenant. They will be betrothed to Jehovah in righteousness and faithfulness, and His laws will be given into their minds and written in their hearts. If I were to look at things merely according to man,

^[p. 182] I should like to live in that time. Nobody can dispute that there will be the greatest blessing for men in that day. Peace, security, and content, as I said just now, will be seen everywhere. How one sighs for content! Supposing the world were filled with content — where would be the necessity for legislation? There would be no place for it. The fact is, the whole condition and state of things will be totally and completely changed.

In Leviticus 16 we have the great moral foundation for everything, and in Psalm 72 we have laid out the blessings which are connected with the reign of the King’s Son.

Now I want to pass on to Colossians 1 by way of contrast.

In the passage I have read there is distinct proof that saints are not here looked at as in heaven, because twice over the “hope” is spoken of. If you talk about hope you have not got the thing in full fruition of things and the reconciliation of persons. The former is future, the reconciliation of persons is present. He says, “You now hath he reconciled”. That is connected with the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 5 the apostle enlarges upon it; but I believe the thought of reconciliation has to do with identity, with individuality: I am individually reconciled to God; it is not a question of a new state, but that I, as an individual, am reconciled. That is what Christ has done, and I want to speak to you as ^[p. 183] to the character of it. It appears to me that the main thought in reconciliation is this, it places me with God apart from all that is contrary to God. It places me with God apart from the flesh. “You now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death”. We are set with God apart from the flesh. The flesh is that which would preclude our having any entrance where God is. We get the positive privilege of reconciliation brought out in Hebrews 10 — boldness to enter into the holiest. That is the first privilege which belongs to the people of God now. I am reconciled — placed with God — holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight, apart from what would hinder my entrance into the holiest, and am there in association with the true Aaron. If I go back to the beginning, Adam did not go into the holiest; flesh does not enter there; but the fact of reconciliation is that I am apart from the flesh. In the flesh I never could go into the holiest. I am now apart from it; death has in Christ come in upon it, so that I might be before God, unblameable and unreproveable. It is not simply God dwelling amongst men, but we are individually blest with God. We are placed before Him, constituted holy, and we have liberty to enter into the holiest. There is no place too holy for a Christian; what can be holier than the holiest? If I think of myself now with God, I see there is nothing whatever contrary: every bit of contrariety is gone in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ; there is not only expiation, but I am before God apart from the flesh, so that I can be with Him in perfect happiness, liberty, and peace. I am constituted holy, unblameable, and unreproveable; it is really what God Himself is, and that is what we are constituted before Him. We have to wait for the full result, but not for the reconciliation; that is present. It is a wonderful thing to be with God in this way, every bit of contrariety gone in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be great blessing ^[p. 184] in the time to come when God dwells among His people, from the flesh, so that I can be with Him in perfect happiness, liberty, and peace. I am constituted holy, unblameable, and unreproveable; it is really what God Himself is, and that is what we are constituted before Him. We have to wait for the full result, but not for the reconciliation; that is present. It is a wonderful thing to be with God in this way, every bit of contrariety gone in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be great blessing in the time to come when God dwells among His people, but it is a far greater thing, to be with God now in this way. The full result, of course, will be when we are in glory, in likeness to Christ; but I am only speaking of what we are constituted now while still upon earth. We have the privilege to be with God according to all holiness, and to see that there is nothing contrary.

Now we come to another point (verse 27): “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. We get here a new thing, which had never been spoken of before, namely, Christ in the saints. I will tell you what is a very great point in my judgment; it is very important to get a right idea of Christ as He is now. The first thing is that He came out of heaven. He is the living bread come down from heaven. Then He has, as Man, glorified God, so that man should be in God’s presence in divine righteousness; and further, by the power of God in resurrection, He is in a condition of glory and power suited to the great place He has taken as Man. The first thing is, then, He is heavenly because He is out of heaven. After the flesh He was here in weakness — the condition was perfect according to what was needed — but He was raised from the dead by the power of God. I delight to think of the Lord Jesus Christ, the same blessed Person, divine and heavenly in character, raised again from the dead by the mighty power of God in the condition of glory and power in which He takes His seat in righteousness as Man at the right hand of God. I only bring this before you in order to lead your hearts to an apprehension of the greatness and glory of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the body.

The point that comes out in verse 27 is that He is in us. That is the mystery, and what it involves is, that though I am the same in identity, I am of another kind. Christ is in me, and the instant I talk about Christ being in me I am of another kind. That will ^[p. 185] never apply to saints on the earth in the millennium; they are the same identity, but not, save morally, of another kind. We are the same persons but of another kind, because Christ is in us the hope of glory. Christ being in me, teaches me that I am apart from the world. Every person who is looking for glory is apart from the world. I am content to accept the world as a wilderness, because what I have is, Christ in me, and He is in me as the hope of glory. I am going to have a place of blessed exaltation and be like Christ; whatever marks Him as Man will be descriptive, too, of the saints. The truth of Christ being in us is a most momentous one, and it involves unity. No one can confess that truth without acknowledging the unity. The moment I come to think of Christ in me I must also think of Christ in other saints. If I think of myself as a member of the body I have to think of other saints, because Christ is there, too. In Colossians 3 the apostle speaks of it: “Where Christ is all and in all”, in all the saints, and the fact of Christ being in us is the real bond of unity in the saints down here. What I am told in Ephesians is “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling”; one hope, because Christ is in us the hope of glory.

One more point comes out at the close of the chapter: “Whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus”. When I come to speak of the future, I do not read anything at all about growth: I do not think that idea comes in there; growth comes in now because we are of a new kind, and therefore there must be growth, because every saint begins as a babe in Christ. Every man begins of necessity as a babe, and has to grow up into a perfect man. The idea of a perfect man is where all the moral faculties are in exercise. The faculties are all in the babe, but they have to be developed. The ^[p. 186] believer has to grow up into a perfect man — where every spiritual faculty is developed.

I have often coveted the ability to present Christ in glory to the saints; I should like to be able to minister to the saints what Paul spoke of when he said, “I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified”. Who of us has an adequate idea of the greatness and glory of that risen Man? The first great thing is to see that He is a Man of another order, not only that He has gone to glory, but that He is from heaven: He is heavenly. Do you want to know some of the features of the heavenly Man? Righteousness, holiness, blamelessness, love, boldness, access, confidence — those are the features of the Man out of heaven. And now He has gone to the Father, and we see Him no more; but He has put us in the Father’s presence; He has gone there in a condition which is the full and adequate expression of the mighty power of God in resurrection.

I would not desire anything more than the ability to minister Christ to the saints, as Paul says, “Whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom”. Do you know that you are going to be like Christ? “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly”. We are going to be perfectly like Christ. We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. The apostle John could dilate upon the present blessing: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God”; you will never be more truly the object of affection to the Father than you are now, and therefore the apostle says, “Now are we the children of God”; but He says, it is not yet manifested what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him. If I am going to be like Christ, in the image of the heavenly, Christ becomes the standard of purity for me down here. I would not be content with a lower condition of things; I have the blessed joy of being ^[p. 187] placed with God apart from everything that is contrary, and the consciousness that I am going to be perfectly in the likeness of the Man in glory.

May God, beloved friends, give us a sense of the greatness of our calling. I delight to trace out in Scripture the blessing of the time to come; but it only brings out into greater and more distinct contrast the peculiar blessings that God has called us to.

May we be kept apart from everything down here, and become morally more like the One to whom we are going to be perfectly conformed.

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