A FRESH VIEW OF CHRIST
W. Dickson
One of the choicest experiences at the Supper is when we get a fresh view of the Man in the presence of God. We should seek the help of the Spirit that we should never leave that occasion without some sense that we have had a fresh view of the glory of Christ. That would be the purpose of His manifesting Himself amongst us. Much engaged our affections on the Lord’s day, and has since, but we could say one thing that did affect us was the glory of Christ.
‘We think of the Man in Thy presence.
Set down there, exalted as Head ...’. (Hymn 49)
Think of Him there in the presence of God, in the presence of the Father, exalted as Head.
We are furnished with an inlet into eternal conditions, and not only that, we are strengthened by those impressions in view of our continuance in the testimony. The meeting for prophetic ministry would give the Spirit an opportunity to do this.
This passage we have read is a type of Christ in glory. The prophet Ezekiel has to go through severe exercises in regard to the state of the people and their current relations with God. He is instructed by God to pass through exercises which were very testing indeed, exercises such as we ourselves have passed through and will pass through as long as the church is here. It is often a challenge as to what enables one to go on in hope and confidence despite the public condition of things. This passage brings out that what keeps you going is having your eye always fixed on the Man in the glory. As Ezekiel had looked round on the idolatry, even in the temple, the desolation of Jerusalem, the unfaithfulness of the priesthood, and the sight of the glory departing from the house, he might have said, ‘It is all over! Why continue?’ Have you ever felt like that? Under the pressure of things in the public testimony many have wondered if everything was going to pieces, but what the Spirit brings you back to is that there is a Man in the presence of God. In the glory there is a Man from whom love is constantly flowing downwards towards His beloved people, sustaining them here; and upwards, sustaining something constantly for the pleasure of God, irrespective of the breakdown.
Preceding this, Ezekiel was given a view of four living creatures. We need such a view at the present time. In these four living creatures God gives testimony to the fact that, despite the ruin that has come in publicly, He has these means of maintaining His standards. These four living creatures set forth intelligence, strength, firmness and rapidity of judgment. One of the sorrows of Christendom—and we have had our part in this—is that the breakdown has been claimed as a justification for lowering divine standards. But God says to Ezekiel, in effect, ‘I have no intention of lowering My standards, and I have given you this view so that it may be firmly in your mind that I intend, from My side, to maintain My standards. I am giving you a view of the Man in the glory with the appearance of fire glowing from His loins and downwards and from His loins and upwards to assure you that there is power available to you in these living creatures to maintain the standards’. Beloved brethren, God is maintaining His standards, so let us maintain those standards. We should maintain God’s standards in our personal lives, in our households, in our local assemblies, and if we have any part in the ministry of God’s word amongst the saints we are not faithful to our commission if we do not insist on the maintenance of these standards.
Then, “Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne”. Think of the Man on that throne, the reins of government steadfastly held there, never to weaken, never to be given up by Him. “The appearance of a sapphire stone”—that is, that transparency and majesty mark that throne, reminding us of who God is. He is not a creature.
It is God we have to do with. Beloved brethren, let us remember in the way we speak and in the way we behave in God’s house and in the way we walk publicly in bearing His name, that it is God we have to do with. Then “the appearance of a man above upon it”—that is Jesus, the ‘Man in the amber spot’ (see J. B. Stoney, Vol. 12 p.334). Then he says, “I saw as the look of glowing brass”. There is .a reference to that in verse 4 which indicates that there is an element of mystery present. It is a reference to the fact that the Deity of Christ must ever be held in our minds along with the fact that He is a Man, and being such, is an Object of worship and reverence. We can be assured that, as having His place on that throne, He will see that things are carried through to God’s glory. Our part is to be faithful in the maintaining of the standards that have been entrusted to us. You may ask, ‘What are the standards of the present day?’ These standards are righteousness, faith, love and peace (2 Timothy 2: 22).
Then he says, “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain”. When Paul said, “God is faithful, by whom ye have been called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1: 9), he was really calling attention to the bow in the cloud in the day of rain. Where would we have been but for the
faithfulness of God? Where would the recovery have been but for the faithfulness of God?
This view assures us that there is a Man on the throne in full control of everything, and there is a bow in the cloud which reminds us that if we maintain God’s standards in humility of heart we can be assured of His faithfulness towards us.
Then, “Stand upon thy feet”—you are able to do that now that you have had a view of Christ in glory. You can stand upon your feet and you are able to go through all the exercises.
Ezekiel might have said that he was personally clear about the general state, but God told him in chapter 4 to go and eat food that was repulsive (God modified it for him). He took away his wife from him, just to bring home to him divine feelings. We might wonder why we are suffering, why such sorrows have to be borne. Christ has borne sorrows for us. You will never bear an assembly sorrow rightly if you bear it with a grudging spirit. You bear it rightly as you bear it in the spirit of Christ because He suffered for us. He strengthens us by giving us a view of Himself in, the glory. May we be encouraged in these things, beloved brethren.
There is nothing the saints need more in these days than to keep their eyes fixed on Christ where He is and have a conscious sense of His love for His assembly, and the faithfulness of God. May we be helped for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Cullen
21 June 1983