ADDED TO THE LORD (3)
[p. 264] ADDED TO THE LORD (3)
Acts 8:26 - 40; Acts 9:17; Acts 10:44; Acts 11:19 - 30; Acts 13:1 - 3
JT The money was sent to the elders at Jerusalem by the hand of Barnabas and Saul (chapter 11) and then it says in the last verse of chapter 12, “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled the service entrusted to them, taking also with them John, surnamed Mark”. They returned to Antioch and brought someone else with them as well, namely John Mark. Then we read in chapter 11:27,28, that still another one came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, namely Agabus the prophet. We see in this part of the Scripture that everything is set in motion. Spiritual wealth came from Jerusalem to Antioch and material wealth came back from there. But I should like to go back a little to chapters 8 to 10. We see in chapter 9 how Paul was added by Ananias, who laid his hands upon him. In chapter 2, three thousand were added, and at the end of the same chapter there were added those who were to be saved. In chapter 5, believers were added, both men and women indeed, and in chapter 8, Samaritans were added. In chapter 9, Paul is brought in and is added as a brother. In verse 17, Ananias says, “Saul, brother”. In chapter 10, some from the nations come along; they are added by the Holy Spirit. It is not said that the eunuch was added. That shows how great the work of God is. When he was baptised and as Philip and he came up out of the water it says, “The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer”, then it says further, “for he went on his way rejoicing” (verse 39). That shows the material which can be relied upon, which can just be left to itself. I do not mean by that that every Christian should be left to himself. The Lord never withdraws [p. 265] His eyes from any one of us; in this way we are protected. But it is not said that the eunuch received the Holy Spirit or that he was linked with other believers. He therefore gives rise to the difficult question, What became of him? If any one of us was allowed to go away into a strange land, what then would become of him? I believe that God leaves this question open in the Acts in order to show us that in his soul there was a work of God which could be trusted. When we are converted and baptised as the eunuch here and then simply quietly left alone, the Lord would say in that, ‘You can depend on such an one. If I leave him to himself and just let him go on his way rejoicing, I am showing by that that you can trust him’. We read of the man at Decapolis who had been possessed of demons that after he had been found sitting at the feet of Jesus, healed and in his right mind and clothed, he asked the Lord if he might remain with Him, but the Lord said, “Return to thine house and relate how great things God has done for thee” (Mark 5:15,19; Luke 8:35,39). The Lord knew His man. He would not have left him alone if He had not been able to trust him. Trustworthiness is a great thing.
Ques Was Timothy one who could be trusted?
JT I believe this thought is specially emphasised with him.
Rem Paul writes to him, “Have an outline of sound words, which words thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted” (2 Timothy 1:13,14).
JT It is the exercise of every single individual of us that he prove himself trustworthy in the things which have been committed to us by the Lord. With the eunuch it is not shown that there was anything at all in him which could be trusted, but [p. 266] only that he was allowed to go his way. Indeed it says, not as is general in the Acts that he went the way but that “he went on his way”. If the Lord had considered it necessary He would have allowed Philip to go with him, but we have an extraordinarily remarkable happening here, “the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip”. That must have made a powerful impression upon the eunuch of the spiritual order into which he had been brought. He was not just made a proselyte but he was connected with what is spiritual. A Jewish proselyte would always have continued in his proselytism. The Holy Spirit did not say to the eunuch, ‘I will connect you with the believers because you are a great statesman’. Philip was caught away by the Spirit. Now instead of gazing after him the eunuch “went on his way rejoicing”.
Ques Do you think that He who had begun the great work would also complete it?
JT I think that is important and the Lord would like us all to understand it.
Ques Had the eunuch personal intercourse with the Lord?
JT If we had met him later, after Philip was caught away, we would certainly have regarded him as a trustworthy christian. The little word ‘for’ explains it, it suggests logical sequence. He was content to go on his way with rejoicing. He was not fearful, he did not ask, ‘What shall I now do further?’. His joy was not a bit lessened. So every one of us has to learn that he can stand upon his own feet. Of course, we are never left alone, but it is also very important that we can stand alone. Whatever others may do, this is my way and I am going on it.
Then we have already mentioned that Ananias came to Saul and said to him, “Saul, brother”. He was received as a brother. The 10th chapter is very long, as if the Holy Spirit had joy in lingering over [p. 267] these events. Everything led up to the point where we read that the Holy Spirit fell upon them all. The Lord looked at them all there and He wanted to unite them all with one another. It does not say that it was those who heard Peter preaching, but it says He “fell upon all those who were hearing the word”. The words of Peter were God’s word. In chapter 2:14, Peter says, “Give heed to my words”, but not so here. Here it is God’s word. Heaven has great interest in those who hear the word of God. It does not say, after they had heard it, but while they were hearing it. We see how this book, among many other things, brings together all details of significance. It is like Exodus 40, where Moses sets up the tabernacle after all the separate parts had been completed.
Ques It says in the gospels that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Lord, but here it says He fell. What is the difference?
JT When the Lord had been baptised the Holy Spirit was not yet upon this earth, as in this dispensation. The Holy Spirit was not yet there, because Jesus was not yet glorified, but here He was present. The word ‘fell’ does not mean a falling because of gravity. It also says, “I beheld Satan as lightning falling out of heaven” (Luke 10:18). The word here refers to an energetic action of the Holy Spirit. It is the same word that is used when the Father fell on the neck of the prodigal. It is an energetic act of love, of affection. We have here the same thought, the same expression. The time was now come for the heathen to be brought in. This is so precious for the Holy Spirit that He fell upon them. It even took place before they were baptised.
In chapter 11:19 we read, “They then who had been scattered abroad through the tribulation that took place on the occasion of Stephen, passed through the country ...”. In chapter 8:4, it simply [p. 268] says that those that had been scattered went about and announced the word. In chapter 8 it is merely said that they went to Samaria, but here it is also said that they went to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. It says here first of them, that they spoke to no one but the Jews, but then it says further of the men of Cyprus and Cyrene that they also announced the glad tidings to those of the nations, “and the Lord’s hand was with them”. The chapter shows very beautifully that if we move in the gospel, the Lord Himself moves with us, even when there is no special gift available. It does not say that they preached but only that they announced. Then we read “a great number believed and turned to the Lord”. They turned to the Lord.
Rem This incident shows that when the enemy wants to destroy the work of God by persecution, it is always extended further.
JT The scattering only is not mentioned here but also the tribulation. Although the saints suffered much — they perhaps lost all that they possessed and they were forced to travel far from their home — yet they were occupied with the announcement of the glad tidings. How precious that must have been for the Lord! It is not said that they had a commission but they did it out of their own impulse. That is to show us that we should be more occupied with the testimony, the glad tidings.
Then something else comes to light. It no longer says ‘the apostles’ but “the assembly which was in Jerusalem”. It is said that the assembly has “ears”; that is very beautiful and very important. When one travels about, one is always sorry to see how little the brethren in general have knowledge of what God is doing over the whole world.
Ques Does that connect with what is in the Revelation, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies”?
[p. 269] JT Yes. Of course, that also relates to individuals, not only to assemblies. If we as an assembly had ears, then we should hear much encouragement from the different countries; we should be more in the position to support the work of God by prayer. So in verse 22 it says, “The report concerning them reached the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go through as far as Antioch”. We see here that the assembly acted immediately they heard of it. Today we cannot perhaps any more send out a Barnabas, but we can pray. If I hear of the work of God in India, China and Africa, then I can pray for it. The man who was sent out, Barnabas, was not an apostle, yet he was suited for the moment, like the gold which was used on the tabernacle. It says that they sent out Barnabas that he should go through to Antioch. Then further it says, “Who, having arrived and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced, and exhorted all with purpose of heart to abide with the Lord; for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith; and a large crowd of people were added to the Lord”. We have here something very remarkable about the addition. It says “a large crowd of people were added to the Lord”.
Ques What does it mean, “with purpose of heart to abide with the Lord”?
JT He exhorted them to do so. It is a mark of the ministry that, by it, the different details of the work of God are put together. It refers to what is in the believer.
Ques Is that a proof of our trustworthiness?
JT It is a challenge to our hearts. It does not only mean that I love the Lord. Of course, that is included in it, but it is a matter also of decision, that one has a definite outlook, the determination to pursue a definite line, namely to abide with the Lord. How important that was in the heathen world, where [p. 270] the cold north winds blew. Whoever cleaves to the Lord finds shelter. What Barnabas brought before them was something transitory because he wished as it were to do preparatory work for the great master builder of the assembly. The material was held securely in the Lord’s hands until the great master builder came. So we read that Barnabas “went away to Tarsus to seek out Saul. And having found him, he brought him to Antioch”. Then it says further that they came together a whole year in the assembly and taught a large crowd. The great amount of material which Barnabas had put into the Lord’s hands was now being instructed about the assembly. The fruit of their labour is seen at the beginning of chapter 13. The assembly there was in such a condition that from them five brothers were mentioned as serving the Lord.
One can say the building was complete and the Holy Spirit had now the assembly before Him and could speak to it. He asks that these two men, Barnabas and Saul, should be separated to the work to which He had called them. I believe the Lord now has that before Him. He would like local meetings which stand on their own feet and yet have an outlook for the whole testimony in the world. It says “there were ... in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers”, and then their names are given. I believe if we follow out this line there will also be men today who are ministering to the Lord and fasting.