CONCERNING OUR RELATIONS WITH GOD
[p. 188] CONCERNING OUR RELATIONS WITH GOD
1 Samuel 14:36 - 46; Genesis 18:16 - 26; Exodus 33:12 - 17
I would like to speak of our relations as believers with God. Relations exist also amongst ourselves, and that is a great subject. It is important that such relations, on the basis of truth, should be happy, so that we may be, may I say, on comfortable terms with one another, that there may be no conscious effort — less indeed than in any company — but rather a deep sense of restfulness, of reciprocal confidence, as amongst the members of the family of God. It is indeed a great testimony that there are such persons down here in our day: the Lord said, “By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves”, (John 13:35). Men loving one another is a witness that Christ has disciples here. The Lord said, “But when the Son of man comes, shall he indeed find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). That is a question which awaits its response. A true disciple, hearing that remark of the Lord’s, would like to answer, ‘As far as that question concerns me, faith will still exist’.
I want now to come to my subject, that is, to the fact that we should be on happy terms, holy and free, with God. That is our privilege, for does it not say, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you”, (James 4:8). God does not expect that we should travel the whole of the way, He travels part of it Himself. If, however, in one sense He had not travelled the whole way, we should never have been in movement at all. In this way God came into Egypt and caused His people to go out from there. “Ye have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, and how I have borne you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself”, (Exodus 19:4). That is an initial movement, but being so, it implies a beginning of movement towards God on our part; this thought is seen in Sinai. There God introduced the principle of [p. 189] our moving towards Him, and with this, the principle of complete liberty of relations with Himself. Moses was an illustration of it, as I wish to show, in his happy and free terms with God. Moses gives us the thought of entering; he entered the tent and immediately we are told that God spoke with him. All the commandments that we have (and they are very numerous in the books of Moses, in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), were given on this principle of the free access of Moses to God and of the gain which he derived from it. But Moses had not access freer than ours, not even as easy. There is no greater intimacy than that of which the apostle Paul speaks with reference to Christ, “For through him we have both access by one Spirit to the Father”, (Ephesians 2:18). It is the christian position; Moses already had the gain of it, and Paul and millions of others, too. If I speak of it now, it is so that we may all be able to realise it in the same way: “Draw near to God”. It says in Hebrews 10:19 - 22, “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”. God is waiting for us, and this waiting is not a burden or trouble for Him, God delights in this waiting.
Before continuing my subject in a positive way, I want to show the contrast in Saul. In the first passage I read, we have a remarkable happening. God wants to bring out what this man is: Saul was king of Israel, someone well known by all. At the beginning of his becoming known, it is said that “from his shoulders and upwards he was higher than any of the people”, (1 Samuel 9:2). He had not his like in Israel for physical appearance, and God helped him remarkably in [p. 190] becoming what he should have been in the fulfilment of his service, but Saul failed lamentably. That was not evident to all Israel, but God wished to bring out clearly what this man was. If anyone is not right with God, let him not think that that can remain hidden. He can go ahead a long time and gain a good reputation amongst the saints, but unless he be in happy relations with God in his own soul, and there be free access to Him with all the gain which results from it, that man will be exposed as publicly exercising the service of God, without the reality, not having support from above nor divine approval. It is very important, in the service of God, to have the feeling of His approval, the feeling of being pleasurable to Him, moving in a way which is pleasing to Him all the time. Saul was going without such feeling, and Jonathan realised it, for Jonathan had faith. This is particularly Jonathan’s chapter; he was a man of faith and although he never left Saul’s house, he had his own judgment of his father. All that is of great importance in God’s service and testimony. We should have discernment about the person who is nearest and dearest to us, so that we may not be blinded by natural relationship. So in the remarkable exploit which this chapter brings before us, it tells us that Jonathan “did not tell his father”. The Spirit of God mentions this fact to us as contributing to the laying bare of Saul’s character. Saul was serving publicly without suitable exercise or divine support; the one nearest to him — a man of faith — discerned this state. No one can dissemble in such circumstances. Faith will always discern in those who serve if there is a lack of relations with God, a lack of present nearness to Him and of the intimate communications which result from this. Such deficiencies come to light sooner or later, and then it is a very sad thing, most humiliating. Jonathan had already realised that his father was not really what a king should be, a king such as David describes to us: “... and he shall be as [p. 191] the light of the morning, like the rising of the sun, a morning without clouds; when from the sunshine, after rain, the green grass springeth from the earth”, (2 Samuel 23:4). Such traits were never those of Saul; he served as a man in the flesh, yet in the most distinguished place in the centre of the divine testimony. It is very serious to be openly connected with the testimony of God, without maintaining spiritual relations with Him. Saul was lacking in this, so Jonathan did not divulge to him his great undertaking. It was with just one other, the young man who carried his armour, that he had to climb “up upon his hands and upon his feet” against the army of the Philistines. I will not communicate anything to a man like Saul; such a person is in principle a Philistine himself. Jonathan “did not tell his father”, and God was with him, and God gave a great victory to Israel by Jonathan. Jonathan wrought with God that day. That is the position, beloved brethren, working with God! God continues His work and is looking for fellow-workers. It is an immense privilege to have part in what God is doing today, but if, like Saul, I am not used to draw near to God, I have no true part with Him. Although continuing my service, I have no part, no lot spiritually in the undertaking; I have only the outward appearance. When the conflict came, God gave a great victory to His people. Saul brought himself into the matter, as we see in the verse which I read at the beginning: “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them”. What a beautiful thought and what a great undertaking! But that was accomplished without his co-operation, and that is the important truth; Saul was not in the business which he was pursuing. God is working; let us not forget it! If I am spiritually not in the present work of God, God carries on without me. I shall perhaps see the undertaking succeed, but I shall have no part in it. Saul said, “Let us go down by night”, let us profit from the night! ... but in fact all was done without him. Saul does not descend at all; that is what happens in the conflict with an unspiritual man.
There was a priest there, showing a religious state of things. Persons in this state do not appear without ostensible relations with God, although it is said, “this was the first altar he built to Jehovah”. So Saul built an altar, but he was not accustomed to worship; the priest said, “Let us come near hither to God”, but there was no answer. Circumstances are solemn when we hear nothing from God, when there is no reply. A crisis arises in the world, many turn to God, asking that the calamity may be averted, but why is there not always this attitude? Here are serious circumstances and Saul is ready to follow the counsel of the priest and to pray, but we must not forget that God cannot listen to us in this way. What history has preceded this, what is the state of soul? “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination”, (Proverbs 28:9). Some think that anyone can pray, but it is not so.
It is a question of having access to God. Saul was not accustomed to this; the priest suggests to him, “Let us come near hither to God”, and the people obey. A whole nation can turn to God in prayer, but God does not answer. We are just speaking of the fact that the priest suggested prayer; Saul accepts the suggestion and conforms with it. But there is no answer; how solemn!
In the days of his kingship, David always had recourse to prayer, and God answered him. What beauty there is in the simplicity of his faith: “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron”, (2 Samuel 2:1). How simple all that is! When the Philistines attacked David, he enquired of God how to overcome them, and God told him.
[p. 193] David did not meet them in the same way in the second battle; God ordered him to go round them on that occasion. How important, is it not, in the midst of the conflict in divine service, to know how to entreat God, and how to speak to Him. Did not God speak to Moses as a man speaks to his friend?
But here there is no answer from God! How serious that is, beloved brethren! Matters arise and God does not answer; the question is not resolved, the matter not put in order, we cannot face it, cannot effect a solution nor set the position right. God does not answer Saul. And so what happens? Saul says that someone has sinned. That is true, but he never suggests that perhaps he himself is the guilty one, he never speaks at all like that. He says in verses 38 and 39, “Draw ye near hither, all the heads of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day. For, as Jehovah liveth, who has saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall certainly die”. He does not say, ‘If it be myself’, but, “though it be in Jonathan my son”. Why does his eye fasten on Jonathan? Why does he not direct his gaze upon himself? “For, as Jehovah liveth, who has saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall certainly die. And no one answered him among all the people. Then said he to all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what is good in thy sight. And Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, Give a perfect testimony! And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him and said, With the end of the staff which is in my hand I tasted a little honey, and behold, I must die! And Saul said, God do so to me and more also; thou shalt certainly die, Jonathan”, verses 39 - 44. This is Saul’s strain;
[p. 194] not a word about himself, about his own possible blame or about his death which logically could result from it! Oh, you say, Saul is an upright man! He demands a lot, but he is to be tested in this matter. Is it not evident that God unmasks him! Let each one consider well, that if he does not know habitually approach to God, though he be in the divine service, God will expose him in the most unexpected way. Saul could say, I have found out Jonathan! Perhaps there was in his heart some resentment against Jonathan, for Jonathan was a man of faith. Something insidious could be lurking in Saul’s heart about his son; God knew it and He exposes it.
The people said, Shall Jonathan die? All through this matter the people had not said one word against Saul. This man was looking after himself personally, and in the last resort no one was saying anything against him, he was pursuing his own way. But this road was about to come to an end; the people rise up against him; he is shown up. What had Jonathan done? He had acted with uprightness and Saul had failed. Jonathan had tasted a little honey with the end of his staff, and his eyes had become bright. This honey came from the land flowing with milk and honey, from the land of Canaan. Saul in his self-will and pride did not allow the people to make use of divine provision, and see, he is exposed! His purpose is disclosed, his heart is laid bare. He had not continuous relations with God; a man had done what was right and he wanted to kill him because of his integrity. But the people declare that that is not to happen and God allows the situation to be resolved in that way. We do not want to be found in this state, beloved brethren, so I come to Abraham and Moses, to consider the contrast in them.
In Abraham we have the thought of the great privileges which belong to the position of a believer. I want to emphasise first of all, that the visit of Jehovah to [p. 195] Abraham had not only Abraham in view. Jehovah was on the way towards another end. Let us understand, beloved brethren, that our present position, the position of the assembly on earth, is provisional. Her true place is in heaven, she belongs to heaven. God is on the way to the world to come; the present position tells us this. God is going to destroy this world; Revelation shows us how this will come about. The world in which we are is already condemned. God is going to have to do with it, and He is on His way to it. God came near to Abraham, and that is the position. God comes near to us at any time, in fact, God dwells with us. He is going to carry out great things on the earth where the assembly has an important place as the heavenly vessel down here. It is for the assembly to enter into the purpose of God, to have part in heavenly realities, to be led into divine secrets and to occupy a place of nearness to God. What a place, is it not? So Jehovah comes with two others to Mamre where Abraham was, and he receives Him. God honours Abraham in coming to him as his guest. Think of what that means for us in the present time. God is prepared to be our guest, but on His own conditions, not on ours. If Abraham received Him, I have the feeling that God knew perfectly that Abraham was qualified for that. He gives him the opportunity for it, and Abraham seized it and acted becomingly towards God; he detains God and the two angels under the oaks of Mamre. What a lovely reception! But then they continue towards another place. Let us get hold of this fact now in the present time; although formed for eternity, the assembly is only down here for a time. God is on the point of honouring the assembly down here. We are in the period when Isaac brought Rebecca, the heavenly bride, to himself into Sarah’s tent. It is not said, you will notice, that Isaac loved her before introducing her into the tent. God is pleased that Christ loves us in a position of testimony and pleasure for God,
[p. 196] as we have seen in our meetings. “And Isaac led her into his mother Sarah’s tent; ... and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after the death of his mother”, (Genesis 24:67).
In the position illustrated in Abraham, God is on His way with two angels towards a certain end: He stops near Abraham, Abraham receives Him and precious communications are made to him. They talk together of the birth of Isaac. What a grand sight! They speak together, then Jehovah and the two angels continue their way. The visit is over! Let us understand this fact that divine visits come and go.
We are told in chapter 18:16, “And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them”. I would like to show the wonderful relation between God and Abraham. Abraham did not go back to the tent to talk with Sarah about the great privilege they had had in Jehovah visiting their home, although such a conversation between the patriarch and his wife would be very understandable to us. But Abraham does not stay in the position reached in receiving Jehovah, he continues with Him and the two angels to conduct them on their way. How touching that is! “And Abraham went with them to conduct them”. What beautiful relations between God and Abraham! In being received in his house, God accorded a great favour to Abraham, but Abraham does not stay there; he desires that God may communicate His mind to him. Abraham was called “Friend of God”, being justified by his works, as James puts it to us. We must do something in which God has His pleasure. Not only am I pleased with God’s visit, and speak of it to my wife and children, but I continue with God. God had in view more than a visit to Abraham; He has more in His mind than what we have even now in the assembly. He is going on towards the millennium for the fulfilment of His thoughts down here. The world in its moral [p. 197] character lies on His road; it is Sodom. God wants to overthrow it. But He has in view great things, and Abraham says to himself, I must enter into God’s thoughts.
Let us think of this, dear brethren; we are friends of God, and God’s friends must know what God is bringing about and they must enter into His thoughts. So Abraham went with them to conduct them; if he had not done so, we should not have known what follows. It was not during Abraham’s reception that God said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” He raises this question when Abraham left his tent and sets himself towards what God has in view. “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” This man evidences interest in the divine plans; he will know what God wants to do. God said, too, great things to Abraham; the New Testament puts it this way: “For it was not by law that the promise was to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but by righteousness of faith”, (Romans 4:13). God is going to do something with the world and Abraham has a part in all that. He is most attentive to it; we should not be unconcerned about the great position to which we have come. “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. And if children, heirs also: heirs of God, and Christ’s joint heirs”, (Romans 8:16,17). And if we are heirs of the world, all that which is connected with it will certainly be of interest to us.
God says, This man is interested in My thoughts; he is ready to go through to the end; he is coming with us on the way; I must communicate to him My thoughts. So it is that on the first day of the week, the Lord comes to us. He honours us, and we have part with Him on that great occasion. The gospel has a more remote place; it is the great testimony to the long-suffering of God. “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some account of [p. 198] delay, but is longsuffering towards you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”, (2 Peter 3:9). Such is the forbearance of God in view of salvation, and one would like to have part with Him in this way. That is why gospel meetings are so opportune in the evening of the first day of the week. God has a work in view and Abraham accompanies Him. God says, I should communicate My mind to him. It is not in the tent or under the tree that God says that. He says, “Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him”. God had in His mind that Abraham should become such, and Abraham feels it too. He was now reaching to this position and proving it too. God then says, I must tell him more.
I only touch this question lightly so that our movements may be in accord with God’s, and that we go forward with Him. Abraham is the friend of God; God does not hurry to depart from him. It is said in the passage in mind further on, “And Abraham drew near”, wonderful relation between God and Abraham! The two men were going on to Sodom. Abraham drew near and spoke to God about Sodom, thinking of the righteous in Sodom. He takes the righteous to heart, and God loves such feeling. Abraham said to God, “Will not the judge of all the earth do right?” Actually, Abraham himself was to be the judge of all the earth, and God had that in mind for him. God said, “For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him”. In all this I want to show that God wants to speak with us, while we have access to Him, being on terms of friendship with Him, and draw near to Him in Christ. God wanted such an approach to Himself, He was ready to [p. 199] listen favourably to Abraham, and He finds pleasure in this. Abraham said, “Perhaps there may be ten found there”. And Jehovah said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake ... and Abraham returned to his place”.
Coming now to Moses, we see how beautiful his relations were with Jehovah. The position in Genesis 18 is very instructive; God pursues His work and brings into it a man of faith. This man is brought into the communication of the greatest secrets and shows himself ready to receive them. See how God is prepared to answer the prayer of Abraham while Abraham goes on with God. It is what happens after meetings, and it is the proof that we are friends of God, if we follow up things with Him. Moses said to Jehovah, “thou hast said, I know thee by name”, (Exodus 33:12). The same chapter makes known to us that “Jehovah spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend”. Moses had acted for God in the matter of the golden calf; he had acted as a friend of God. Moses took the tent, and pitched it outside the camp. He had always been ready to bring divine thoughts into operation. The tent, of which the scripture speaks, was not yet actually constructed. It is called a tabernacle, Moses calls it here the tent of meeting, giving expression in this way to what was in his mind. Meetings will continue in spite of the golden calf and all that happened, but they will continue on the principle of separation. Moses therefore took the tent and pitched it outside the camp, and the pillar of cloud descended to the entrance of the tent. It was the witness of the divine presence effectively known in the tent.
There may be in this country a little meeting and a small number of brethren who fill out a position of separation in a spirit of faithfulness to the heart of God and of Christ; the pillar of cloud descends there. Faith is never disappointed. Moses in this way pitched this tent, and this tent outside the camp was called the tent [p. 200] of meeting. The pillar of cloud descended there and Jehovah spoke to Moses as a man speaks to his friend. Moses says to Jehovah now that he would like more. ‘Thou knowest me by name’: see on what beautiful terms Moses is with God. He says, “Behold, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people; but thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me”. Moses says to Jehovah, If thou dost not go with us, how shall we be distinguished? We shall only be a lot of Israelites. Think of the Jews in our day! They are recognised in the contempt in which they are held amongst the nations. What a beautiful thought there is in this fact; God loves them. So the passage continues: “My presence shall go, and I will give thee rest”. And Moses said to Him, “If thy presence do not go, bring us not up hence. And how shall it be known then that I have found grace in thine eyes — I and thy people? Is it not by thy going with us? so shall we be distinguished, I and thy people, from every people that is on the face of the earth”.
How ready God is to do continually more! He had already done much before. “I will do this thing also that thou hast said; for thou hast found grace in mine eyes, and I know thee by name”.
This is the message I have to leave with you. There is no one here, no true christian, who has not this access to God. If God is moving towards a definite goal, let us not be indifferent to such a movement. Do not let our attitude be a negative one! But rather let us be with Him in His work, let us walk with Him towards His goal. God says to us, I will give you My instructions, I will educate you, I will confide My secrets to you. I will do all this. He goes with His people and they are distinguished from every other people. Let no one amongst us claim these truths from the fact that we are called brethren, or that we meet together in an agreed place, according to a certain order. That is not the real [p. 201] distinction which God sees in these things considered in themselves. The real and divine distinction consists in the presence of God amongst us, and this presence is realised in the spirit of what I have set out to you. We have approach to God in our prayer meetings; it is said to us in Isaiah 56:7 “even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer”. Let us not forget that the prayer-meeting has its place among the other meetings, alongside the meeting of the first day of the week. Some sisters keep away from the prayer-meeting because Monday is a day of much work; God says, “I will make them joyful in my house of prayer”, (Isaiah 56:7). God insists with authority on the prayer of the saints. Such was the line of conduct of Abraham and Moses and they were found fully with God in His work. Jehovah says, I will “make them joyful in my house of prayer”.
May God bless His word!
Pages 202 - 310 — “Spiritual Substance”, Los Angeles 1929 - 30 (Volume 101)