BROUGHT TO GOD (4)
[p. 197] BROUGHT TO GOD (4)
Exodus 25:1 - 9, Exodus 40; Exodus 35:20 - 29; Hebrews 9:23 - 28
JT What is in mind this time is to bring out from these scriptures that believers of this dispensation are connected with a heavenly system of things. The progress of the truth requires now that we should take up this side of the truth by itself. When the time came in the antitypes for the heavenly side of the truth to be brought into prominence, Peter had the vision recorded in Acts 10, the sheet coming down from heaven and going up again thrice, and remaining there. All that is heavenly goes up to heaven: it goes to its own place, “Such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones”, 1 Corinthians 15:48. The ‘pattern’ here is a type of Christ and the saints, representing what is heavenly.
Reverting to Exodus 24, “And Jehovah said to Moses, Come up to me into the mountain, and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law, and the commandment that I have written, for their instruction. And Moses rose up, and Joshua his attendant; and Moses went up to the mountain of God”(Exodus 24:12,15). Again in verse 15, “And Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. And the glory of Jehovah abode on mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain, before the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and ascended the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights”. The position is therefore clear typically, that the mediator is now above, definitely on the mountain with God for an extended period [p. 198] of time — forty days and forty nights. As on high he receives instructions as to the sanctuary, “And they shall make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shall show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the utensils thereof, even so shall ye make it”. Then Hebrews 9 confirms all this, that the pattern was really a question of heavenly things, the representation of heavenly things, pointing to ourselves, that is, to those who form the assembly, that the system we are connected with is entirely heavenly. Although it is on earth provisionally, it is entirely heavenly: it comes from heaven and goes back into heaven. Revelation shows it as “coming down out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God”, Revelation 21:10.
I think we should see all this clearly, that the development of the truth typically leads us to this point where the saints are viewed as affording the material required for the tabernacle.
ANW Do all the things that God stipulates indicate the kind of Being that is to dwell among us? Does He indicate His mind in that way?
JT This description conveys what is in His mind. Chapter 35 shows that the saints understood and supplied what was needed, and in abundance.
Ques Do you include the “vessel”, the “great sheet” in the idea of pattern, or does the pattern wait more for Paul’s ministry?
JT It is what Paul will develop. What was in the sheet was what God impressed on Peter’s mind; it required Paul to develop it. Barnabas understood that; those who were converted at Antioch were at first just “added to the Lord”(Acts 11:24); they were not formed in the mystery yet. It required the service of Paul with Barnabas for a whole year to bring out what was in the mind of God, that is the mystery, the heavenly idea. Afterwards the great evangelical [p. 199] services of those two great men issued forth to the nations, not from Jerusalem but from Antioch, showing that it was a completely new development. The great difficulty, I believe, in ministry at the outset is to accustom our minds to the heavenly side of the truth. “Such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones”. That is really what is in mind in this pattern, in what Jehovah would show Moses. He insists on it, that everything must conform to that. A great weakness amongst brethren is inability to lay hold of the heavenly by itself. “Such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones. And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly one”, 1 Corinthians 15:48,49. That is what the Corinthians needed to know; and I fear we are all deficient in this great feature of the truth.
HGH The instructions that are given as to this heavenly material refer to “every one whose spirit prompted him” (chapter 35:21); does this show that the heart is under the control of the heavenly system of things?
JT Yes, alluding to the Spirit of God in our hearts prompting us. It is a heave-offering, a heaving up of the affection by the Spirit of God. Chapter 35 shows they were not wanting; they exceeded what was needed, all pointing to the fact that the truth is cumulative and that the saints typically are now brought entirely round to the divine mind.
LES Would the pattern here shown on the mount have its bearing more as to the public position of the testimony here, and the pattern shown by the Spirit in David’s time more to the spiritual side?
JT The spiritual side is stressed in David’s account. He says he had the pattern by the Spirit and he specifies the items. Here it is Jehovah showing, and the point is the altitude, or the position [p. 200] above. David does not mention this feature: that is assumed in a cumulative sense; because his service with Solomon’s must be regarded as continuing from Moses. Here what is in mind is “the heavenly” in the wilderness, what is suited for testimony in the wilderness. There is a passage in Hebrews that might be mentioned to clarify our minds as to what is before us, “The first therefore also indeed had ordinances of service, and the sanctuary, a worldly one”, Hebrews 9:1. There is a footnote to that, ‘Kosmos came to be used for the world, signifying the order in it. Mere grammar here would require it to read’the holy universal order’. The tabernacle, as the pattern of heavenly things, represented this order. Hence, it would mean the’holy order of the tabernacle, which represented the vast scene in which God’s glory is displayed in Christ’’. It is the universe, but figuratively in a tabernacle, which as a type is not a fixed order of things, but movable and hence fitted for testimony in the present time. God has constituted the assembly capable of being down here in heavenly representation. That is where the crux of the matter lies. It is difficult for most of us to get our minds on to what is heavenly down here. It involves the greatest testimony of God.
LES David’s pattern would be more the eternal side.
JT Yes. He builds inward. Exodus is more outward for testimony; what is of heaven come down here. We are constituted for that purpose provisionally; we can be down here in the wilderness and maintain our heavenly-mindedness, as expressed in the “tassels” with “lace of blue”(Numbers 15:38).
Ques Do the scriptures we read in Exodus refer to what is constitutional in the saints?
JT Yes, they are the material. It is a question of what we are: “Whose house are we”, Hebrews 3:6. Peter says, “To whom coming, a living stone, cast [p. 201] away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious, yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4,5); that is, we are all that down here for the purpose of the testimony, including the service of God. Hence, you find provision is made for carrying the items of the tabernacle; whereas, when the ark was placed in the temple the staves by which it was carried in the wilderness were now put in the sanctuary as a memorial of its earlier services to Israel in grace.
Ques Does that emphasise the opening of the chapter? “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me a heave-offering”, and so on.
JT Quite so. When you come to the actual fulfilment of the requirement the giving was very free. Moses called them and issued the request, “And all the assembly of the children of Israel departed from before Moses. And they came, every one whose heart moved him, and every one whose spirit prompted him; they brought Jehovah’s heave-offering for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service”. In the antitype it is persons. What God uses is persons, “whose house are we”, Hebrews 3:6.
APr Jehovah lays claim to it here. He calls it “my heave-offering”.
Rem It is important to know that Egyptian claims should be broken in our hearts before this is workable.
JT That is clear enough. “Ye have seen what I have done to the Egyptians”(Exodus 19:4). That is a settled matter. Unless it is, we corrupt the assembly, bringing in Egyptian thoughts. That was going on in Corinth.
AB What bearing would Peter’s ecstasy have on this? It was when he was in an ecstasy that he got the light as to [p. 202] the assembly.
JT The incident brings out the instrumentalities that God uses. He was one capable of it. I do not know that there is any one alive who is capable of ecstasy. There is no question of God being able to bring a person into one, but there is a question of our capability. Peter and the early servants generally were, I judge, capable of being brought into ecstasy. It is a question of spirituality. The raising of Tabitha brought this out. There comes need for elimination. The weeping widows were there. Peter put them all out. That is, the elimination of mere natural feelings which must precede an extraordinary thing like this, the power of fasting. He put them all out and kneeled down and prayed in the upper room, the body of the dead person being there; and Tabitha opened her eyes and seeing Peter sat up; as if God would say. This is the environment for a risen person, Peter, not the weeping widows. Such elimination may seem severe but it is needful for the result desired. The Lord Himself put out the flute-players in Jairus’ house. It is the power of elimination of the things that would hinder us in the house of God. Peter remained at Joppa some time after that, in the house of Simon the tanner. He went up on the house to pray and became hungry and while the meal was being made ready an ecstasy came upon him. He was hungry, the state of emptiness was no doubt necessary for the change to come over him. He was in an ecstasy; then the vessel comes down. The account of this remarkable occurrence raises the question of availability to God for certain things. Here the sheet came down. The circumstances in which the great servant was were morally suitable for the divine happening. The Spirit of God enlarges on it. It is a remarkable chapter.
Is Peter now ready for the pattern of the heavenly? It is just a sheet knit at the four comers,
called a ‘vessel’(Acts 10:11). The word ‘vessel’ is to be noted there. In Acts 9:15 it referred to Paul, and now it is the idea of something coming down from heaven. A voice from heaven, and what followed, eventuated in Peter’s being thoroughly assured. In giving an account to Jerusalem, he is thoroughly assured of the whole matter; and his account is accurate. You can see his whole heart is in it. He is now with this new state of things that the Lord had effected. The lesson to be derived from this is availability to God for His services. The metals and other things mentioned here refer to the saints; thus each of us should enquire as to whether he is available to God as material for His house.
Ques Chapter 25 just mentions the materials, but chapter 35 speaks of nose-rings, earrings, and rings, and bracelets. Would you say something as to that?
JT Would it not point to excess of sacrifice: things that women are so fond of? The fact that they had “departed from before Moses” makes the liberality of the people all the more valuable; it was from their hearts, not because of his influence.
Ques Would it help for us to get into our souls that there is something here today commensurate with what is in heaven?
JT That is a great point and it is not simply that the things are commensurate with what is in heaven, but typically they are heavenly things themselves. Another very important thing is that God is working with us according to pattern, and He will not deviate from it; He mentions this several times in this book.
Then, not only are materials for the divine dwelling needed, but also workmen. “And Moses said to the children of Israel, See, Jehovah has called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, [p. 204] of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, and to devise artistic things: to work in gold, and in silver, and in copper, and in cutting of stones, for setting, and in carving of wood, to execute all artistic work; and he has put in his heart to teach, he and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: he has filled them with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work of the engraver, and of the artificer, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in byssus, and of the weaver, even of them that do every kind of work, and of those that devise artistic work”. All this is most important and interesting. We know that God Himself is the Workman: “He who has built all things is God”, Hebrews 3:4. But then He does it through others, as the Lord Jesus says, “On this rock I will build my assembly”, Matthew 16:18. He does it through others, and these work in the power of the Spirit of God. So that when Paul goes to Corinth, he deliberately confines himself to certain features of the truth. The saints were not ready for more. He says, “As a wise architect, I have laid the foundation”, 1 Corinthians 3:10. Other men would build upon it, but each was to take heed how he built. Some might build in wood, hay and stubble, how abominable that is to heaven! Bezaleel and Aholiab would not build in that sort of stuff. These workmen are entirely in accord with the mind of heaven. It is, in the antitype, the Holy Spirit, who uses whom He will. Thus in all these meetings, if we do not make room for the Spirit of God working in us, we do not effect anything; on the contrary, bad material is built in.
LES This is one of the vessels of light, good gifts, that comes down from the Father of lights. Uri, his father’s name, means [p. 205] light.
JT These names are very significant, because God is conveying to us that they are in accord with the mind of heaven regarding the material. Christendom today is not from Bezaleel, which name conveys the thought that God is protection. Current religious structures are from human patterns borrowed largely from Judaism and heathenism.
AB Is it not important that Bezaleel was filled with the Spirit of God? The material comes, “They came, both men and women; every one who was of willing heart” — that is one thing, but to make the material to fit into the structure is another; it requires that the workman must have the Spirit of God.
JT Yes. You will notice how much heart is brought into it, both in regard of material and also the workman, Bezaleel. “See, Jehovah has called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, and to devise artistic things: to work in gold, and in silver, and in copper, and in cutting of stones, for setting, and in carving of wood, to execute all artistic work; and he has put in his heart to teach, he and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: he has filled them with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work of the engraver, and of the artificer, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in byssus ... of those that devise artistic work”. It is all a heart matter, as Ephesians takes it up, “That ... the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him, being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”, Ephesians 1:17,18. That is what is needed, that [p. 206] we are thoroughly in the thing; as to material, every brother and sister; and also as to the workmen. Material is a wider idea, but it is all a heart matter.
LES Is there something in the fact of Judah and Dan being brought together here for the operating side?
JT Dan’s name means ‘judge’ and Judah’s ‘praise’; but there are other things in regard of both. This book brings in the whole twelve tribes. Dan is left out in Revelation, but not here; he is in the operating side. Judah carries the thought of sovereignty, in royalty and also in the service of God. There is great fulness in this tribe.
Ques Would the wave-offering be the thought of consecration, being available for the Spirit? The footnote in Leviticus 8 reads, ‘My impression is that’wave-offering’is more’consecration’; see Exodus 29:24; and’heave-offering’more’offering’; see Exodus 25:2,3’.
JT Yes. You have to follow the word ‘heave’, upward, a movement of affection; the word ‘wave’ has more the idea of what is horizontal. The Lord Jesus risen, according to Leviticus 23, is the sheaf waved. God’s eyes are directed to it; that is the idea of the waving, I think. Heave-offering suggests power in the soul to move Godward.
ANW Would the heart promptings be where the thousands of those that love God would come to light?
JT Just so, they are coming to light here in Exodus 35. 1 Corinthians shows there was a great paucity of actual affection, in spite of the fact that the Lord Himself said to Paul, “I have much people in this city”. Acts 18:10. And Paul stayed a long time to get them. God was making the best of somewhat poor material; thus Paul warned of wood, hay, stubble. Much is made of the Spirit at the outset of 1 Corinthians. Paul says, “Things which [p. 207] eye has not seen, and ear not heard, and which have not come into man’s heart, which God has prepared for them that love him, but God has revealed to us by his Spirit”, 1 Corinthians 2:9. Well, did the Corinthians love Him? That is the question that has to be proved: whether I love God or not, not whether I am in fellowship. It is all a tentative matter. The bride in Canticles says, “For why should I be as one veiled ... ?” (Song of Songs 1:7). I do not want to be questionable among the people of God. God has things for His lovers. Paul says, which “God has revealed to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God”, 1 Corinthians 2:10. We are destined for great things according to 1 Corinthians. It seems that the Corinthians were extremely tardy in coming forward from this point of view — loving Christ. So the apostle says, “If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha”, 1 Corinthians 16:22. That is how serious it was.
ABJ What a contrast to the bride in Canticles, “I am black, but comely”(Song of Songs 1:5), as thinking about what has been said of the Spirit’s work constitutionally!
JT She was black; the sun had shone upon her and had that effect, but she was comely; she could say that much.
Ques Is it not remarkable that the chapter before us speaks of both men and women? “Every one whose spirit prompted him” and “every one who was of willing heart”. It is what the Lord is looking for.
JT That is what comes out in this book; the divine request was intended to show how the truth develops until we come to a point where the saints are ready. The question is. Am I ready for all this? That is why the apostle is so severe on conditions at Corinth. For in spite of the labour he had expended on them and the great care he took so as [p. 208] not to present too much to them, the response was feeble. There was division among them, also an incestuous person, and they had not been humbled about these things. Thus the apostle has to say, “Ye are puffed up, and ye have not rather mourned”(1 Corinthians 5:2). Even though they did not know what to do, they ought to have mourned about the evil.
Ques Do you think that the willing-heartedness would manifest itself today in attending all meetings and entering sympathetically into all that the brethren are taking up? If brethren do not attend the meetings and take up with the heart what is ministered, what can be done?
JT It is a real difficulty, not only the attendance at the meetings but the lead in the meetings. Deborah said, “For that leaders led in Israel”(Judges 5:2) Leading is a most essential thing. It is a way of God; as in Moses and Aaron and these other names mentioned here, Bezaleel and Aholiab, and then, as you say, the need of the saints attending the meetings appreciating and supporting what God gives.
ANW Is that how the willing heart moves on to become a wise heart? “He has filled them with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work of the engraver, and of the artificer, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in byssus, and of the weaver, even of them that do every kind of work, and of those that devise artistic work”, Exodus 35:35. Would that develop from the willing heart?
JT Just so. The subsequent chapters tell us everything was done. “He made”, “he made”, everything was done. There is no suggestion that any of these men would be delinquent.
Rem “Thou shalt not delay the fulness of thy threshing-floor and the outflow of thy wine-press”, Exodus 22:29.
JT “Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently”, Jeremiah 48:10. It is a very serious thing to have ability and deliberately avoid using it.
LES Would the working out of these matters be on the basis of being conscripted for it; it is not an optional matter, whereas willing-heartedness is more the promptings of the Spirit of God from within?
JT If God directs or requests us to do something it is obligatory, not optional; nevertheless the promptings of our hearts to comply are very pleasing to God. One of the striking things in Acts is the spirit of control; that governed all that was done. This is especially seen in Acts 2:42 - 47.
APr In the beginning of Proverbs it is said, “To receive the instruction of wisdom”(Proverbs 1:3). Would that have in mind the way God is working it out?
JT We have already alluded to that book. The Father has “translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love”, Colossians 1:13. The Son is made unto us wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30). We see it here in Bezaleel, Aholiab and others who worked with them. The book of Proverbs is remarkably written. John in Patmos received directions from the Lord as to the order in which he was to write the book of Revelation. Proverbs is also written in parts, culminating in the description of a woman of worth. “Her price is far above rubies”(Proverbs 31:10). “She openeth her mouth with wisdom”. What is in mind in the book is the feminine side of the truth, really the assembly; the design of the book is toward the assembly. And you get a man saying, “Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man’s intelligence”(Proverbs 30:2), and yet he is a wonderful man; there is no pretension about him, but notwithstanding his professed ignorance, he has remarkable intelligence in many things and the way he states that certain [p. 210] things are beyond him helps me to understand them. It is a book that every Christian should read; especially because it contemplates the kingdom of the Son of the Father’s love. The writer says, “Get wisdom, and with all thy getting get intelligence”(Proverbs 4:7), and he goes back to past eternity to bring out the wonderfulness of wisdom. God did nothing without it. In the New Testament it is said that He gives it liberally. “If any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely”, James 1:5.
LL Is that the leading you referred to as in Judges, “The people willingly offered themselves”?
JT Well, Deborah said that leaders led. Her song, too, encourages us to enter conflict if the testimony requires it. She refers to certain who are delinquent when they should have been in the battle.
AB The close of Deborah’s song helps us in what you have before you in these meetings: “But let them that love him be as the rising of the sun in its might”(Judges 5:31).
JT Yes, “them that love him”. That is what this book brings out, lovers of God; God said He had thousands of them, and now they are coming to light. He would not have asked for these materials for His dwelling if He had not known they were there. God does not put us under bondage, but gives us the opportunity of acting like Himself, in giving cheerfully.
LES So that it says, “But if any one love God, he is known of him”, 1 Corinthians 8:3.
JT God knows him; He would honour him. Love is greatly stressed in the two letters to the Corinthians.
AB Do you think there is a tendency amongst us to discredit the material as they did at Corinth? “I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ”, 1 Corinthians 1:12. We might be over [p. 211] favourable to some and despise others; whereas, “Such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones”(1 Corinthians 15:48).
JT We see that at Corinth. The primary thought was to bring the full knowledge of God to the people there. Those who were to be saved there were already in the mind of heaven; the Lord says, “I have much people in this city”(Acts 18:10). He puts it on His greatest servant to seek them out, and Paul stays there eighteen months to do that. And then look at the result — what we are capable of! What power the flesh has in us! We find the Spirit of God is constantly directing us to Corinth, and it is because there is so much of this amongst the brethren in all our gatherings.
Ques In view of what you have said, would not wisdom enter into the selection of scriptures taken up in local meetings? They would be in view of current state, not just any suggestion.
JT Just so. It is a question of gauging what is needed and seeking to meet it. Paul said, “I did not judge it well to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified”(1 Corinthians 2:2). He would select his scriptures according to what the need required. The minister ought to be able to do that. It is part of levitical skill to determine what is needed.
Ques One person leading has perhaps more liberty. What about the local reading, the selection of scriptures for that?
JT Well, that would devolve on those who take the lead and if they have genuine feelings how the saints get on, they would be with the Lord as to what should be read. The Lord Himself, when He came to Nazareth, where He was brought up, alluding to the local position, entered into the synagogue according to His custom, and stood up to read; they handed Him the book, and turning to a passage, He read it. Is that not an example for us? Then He said, “To-day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears”, Luke 4:21.
CH If you are intelligent and have feeling with regard to something that may be lacking, you give expression to it in that way.
JT Yes. If you desire gift, be sure it is prophecy: that is what is specially needed. Every day, every week brings up something to be met. Therefore when we come together for the ministry of the truth let us be concerned about a prophetic word. Some one might be there who needs conviction. If one prophesies it is likely he will be convicted and he will fall down and be judged of all. That is an additional provision that the apostle furnishes in the first letter as to the condition of the saints at Corinth.
APr I was thinking of the willing-heartedness in connection with what we have been speaking of as to the choosing of the scriptures. It is one thing to choose a scripture but are we capable of developing it?
JT And then be balanced, not continuing unduly on one line. Under certain circumstances Bezaleel would say, There is too much of that particular material; thus the offerer would be obliged to stop or else seek to provide some material needed. That is another thing; there is always the spirit of control in the things of God. It is when the quantity of material is in question that the element of control appears. It was good, but there was too much. The Lord selected a short scripture at Nazareth. He read just what was applicable at the time. The Lord’s example is to be observed when scripture is being selected for an address or reading.
ANW “Jesus Christ, and him crucified” was sufficient at Corinth.
Rem The question is, How do we come together? Is it in the unity of the Spirit? If so the choosing of the scripture would be [p. 213] simple.
JT At Pentecost, the great inaugural occasion, “they were all together in one place”(Acts 2:1). There was no contrary element. The Holy Spirit came down; there was room for Him.
LES In order to serve the brethren you not only love them but you must have respect for them.
JT That is a good point. Chapter 35 shows the brethren are worthy of respect; they are liberal in giving. The idea of going up and being owned of Jehovah above had already been introduced. The pattern of the tabernacle was given to Moses above, and the material for it must be heavenly. The suggestion is that the people are now ready for this; their hearts are touched, they are, we may say, lovers of God. In the second letter to Timothy, the apostle deplores that in the last days men would be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”, 2 Timothy 3:4.
RH These chapters in Exodus help us to realise what we are potentially in having something to contribute.
JT That word is right. There was very little material in Corinth. It is most distressing that the apostle had to bring in such words as wood, hay and stubble; most unsuitable for building. Yet the people of God are in danger of bringing in such stuff. Here, however, I think the teaching requires more than what marked Corinth. This typical teaching requires Ephesians, because we get up to the very top, it is a question of what is in heaven. Moses was suitable to be up there, and Jehovah unfolded Christ, the heavenly One, to him. So when He finishes unfolding the pattern to Moses, He talks about the sabbath, and it is said God is refreshed on it. He had not said this before; evidently it is a question of the unfolding of the heavenly. Think of what Christ is in heaven! He was received up, but as up there He is indigenous to heaven, He belongs to [p. 214] heaven. Think of Him actually there! What the Father finds in Him! It is the unfolding of that on the mountain, and then we have the saints, “Such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones”(1 Corinthians 15:48). For this we need more than Romans; we need Ephesians, the revelation of the great love of God and the purposes of that love. These thoughts enter into His habitation provisionally down here.
CB So if we are truly lovers of God, we will not just be concerned with the outward service of God, but conditions suitable for God.
JT That is the idea; that God may dwell amongst us. It is not only so many persons; it is a building. “And they shall make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them”. In the antitype the body underlies it; not so many persons but an organism, the human body being the symbol of it. There is perfect unity and equality in every sense so that each organ is functioning.
Ques Is that why Ephesians says, “groweth unto”?
JT Yes. That is the final thought, meaning that in Ephesians you go right on into the millennium; the apostle has in mind that the assembly is to be the temple in it. The mind of God is to be disclosed to every one in the millennial day. He says of the gentiles in that passage, “In whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit”, (Ephesians 2:21,22). But the primary thought is “in whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord”, which refers to the millennial day. In verse 22 the Jews are left out, they have been left out for centuries. The divine idea is realised among the gentiles. “Ye also”, the ‘ye’ is emphatic; “in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit”. Although the primary thing was Jew and [p. 215] gentile, God is now carrying on this great thought among the gentiles.
LES Would you say a word on the principal men in a locality? They had onyx stones and stones to be set for the ephod and breastplate. Evidently there was a very priestly touch as to their service. “And the principal men brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate” (verse 27).
JT What they brought was of the highest quality. “And the spice, and the oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the incense of fragrant drugs” (verse 28). They were men of special quality. Paul says to the Philippians, “I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all intelligence, that ye may judge of and approve the things that are more excellent, in order that ye may be pure and without offence for Christ’s day, being complete as regards the fruits of righteousness, which is by Jesus Christ, to God’s glory and praise”(Philippians 1:9,11).