PRIESTHOOD IN APOSTATE DAYS
PRIESTHOOD IN APOSTATE DAYS
Revelation 1: 5, 6; Revelation 5: 10; Revelation 20: 6; Malachi 2:1; Malachi 2:4-7
These scriptures treat of priesthood. They treat of it as it should appear in our times; not that there is any change from earlier times, but as time brings about changes, God meets these by stressing certain features. We have in these scriptures the features of priesthood that should especially appear in these dark apostate days. As evil men arise and seducers wax worse and worse, God stresses His truth, giving edge to it; in no way does He weaken His truth, in no way does He lower the standard of it to meet by way of compromise the opposition that has appeared. His word, we are told, is as a two-edged sword, and God gives sharpness to His truth as exigencies arise in the history of His people. While this may tend to smallness and what is outwardly despicable in those who hold to the truth in this way, there is what God regards as a testimony, a very great matter with Him. The Lord Jesus told the leper to go to the priest and show himself and offer the sacrifices required by the law for a testimony to them. Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, we are told, the testimony is there; and God will be able to say, when He enters into judgment, which He is about to do, with the world in general, with nations severally, with states, with towns, with villages, and with men, that in no case has He left Himself without witness. Whether it be to a monarch or to a slave, God will be able to say, “Thou knewest all this” (Daniel 5: 22).
Now the book of Revelation, as the word means, is an unveiling of conditions and happenings so that we might see them beforehand; indeed, the book is written to us, as the address in the beginning of the paragraph which I read indicates — “John to the seven assemblies which are in Asia”, meaning the whole [p. 2] responsible body. It is therefore in the library of the assembly to be read. No book in the christian library should he left unread; but above all this one should be read; there is a premium attached to it. And so the apostle Paul in his closing moments, when the outlook was dark, directed Timothy to bring the books and especially the parchments. Even he, in those closing moments when there was such pressure upon him, thought of books, as also did Daniel of old when he said, “I Daniel understood by the books” (Daniel 9: 2). So that it is not only the library and the reading but the understanding — “Blessed is he that reads”. Later on in this same paragraph John speaks directly to us, and introduces this great thought of priesthood in his address. “To him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father”. That is to say, he intimates at the very outset of this wonderful book, that God has a system of things; He has a kingdom made of persons that have been washed by the precious blood of Christ, trusted persons, and the individual members of this kingdom are priests unto God.
Then in chapter 5, we have a similar word, but not the same. We have the living creatures and the elders singing a new song. It is a poetic matter, and they are singing about others, who out of every tribe, tongue, and nation have been redeemed or bought with the blood of Christ; that is, He has a right over them; He has bought them. They are not said to be a kingdom; they are said to be kings and priests unto God; that is, the thought is extended universally. In chapters 1 and 5 the bearing of the priesthood is Godward, unto God, as if God were to say, ‘Whatever you are going on with, whatever coldness, indifference, or callousness marks you, I have priests unto me; I have not given up my thought at all’. He would say of Aaron that he was to minister unto Him in the priest’s office; that is, it is an office, and the ministry is to be carried on by [p. 3] priests in that office. So it is now; however few or many, God here intimates to us that He has His priests; they are unto Him.
And then in chapter 20, we have again people risen and reigning with Christ. They also are said to be priests — not to God, but of God. I want you to follow this, dear brethren, because it is this latter passage that I desire to open up a little. We must have priesthood to God, before we can have priesthood of God; that is, God has priests, those that belong to Him, they are characteristically His, for their ministry is towards Him. They live and reign with Christ, beautiful and glorious thought, they live and reign with Christ a thousand years, but they are priests of God and of Christ.
Now I will go back for a moment to chapter 1, so as to bring out the position of the kingdom. He has made us, we are told, a kingdom. Kingdoms rise and fall, you know. The greatest of all kingdoms in the history of this world as regards fame and longevity and power, was Rome. We read of its decline and its fall. The writer of that book, himself an infidel, did not understand the book of Revelation. Rome is coming up again, and all the world will marvel at its head, wonder at it. Solemn consideration for us who know the truth of what is coining! The head of it with all his power and his fame will be taken alive, we are told, and cast into the lake of fire, with his prime minister, the second beast. He is taken away before his army is destroyed. Such is the power of God as seen in dealing with evil. It is only a matter of time, beloved friends. The powers that be are ordained of God. We have to understand the difference. We are to pray for them; we are to be subject to them — but the people of God are never enjoined to be subject to this great power of which I am speaking. What a time they will have! Think of the conflict, the open opposition, and the greatest power operating against a few saints of God! What affliction! What suffering! Hence those [p. 4] who suffer through him are seen amongst these priests, in chapter 20, who live and reign with Christ a thousand years. They are specially noted. But then here is this kingdom. Not only is there a priesthood, but a kingdom. He has made us a kingdom (verse 6). I want you to notice that, for it is a matter of power. There must be power, and a kingdom, above all institutions, must be supported or it falls; it becomes a misnomer. The kingdom of God is in power, it says. Well now, a kingdom guarantees protection for those that form it. Even a criminal ordinarily is protected to a point; that is, until justice is meted out to him, and that requires power. The principle of it is that it secures the saints; it secures the rights of the saints; it protects them; it secures their territory, so to speak; it secures the territory of God. God has made us such a kingdom. It is not merely to honour us. He needs such an institution as that. How can we carry on, beloved, without it? So, in the gospel of Matthew, you have the kingdom first as the support of the assembly, and then, with the assembly as its capital or metropolis. That is the position in Matthew. The assembly is supported by the kingdom. We are told that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. If that prevails, what a state of things! We shall have a functioning assembly under those circumstances, and we shall have room for functioning priests, too. Matters come up for adjudication. A general procedure may seem right and the result reached may seem right.
To refer to this country (U.S.A.) by way of illustration. There are two great branches of the government, but they may be found to be defective. Then there is the Supreme Court. It is an independent body, an independent institution, inaugurated doubtless for safety. Such is man’s way of patching up things as best he can, but still you have in it an illustration, because that court has the final word. The sons of Aaron, we are told, had the final word, whatever the [p. 5] controversy was; assembly actions may prove invalid. I only speak of that, beloved, in a general way, so that we might see how the kingdom maintains the assembly and the means that God has instituted by the way of safety so that His will should prevail. The priests will think for God. The sons of Levi were to be wholly apart from natural feeling. It was the sons of Levi “who said to his father and to his mother, I see him not” (Deuteronomy 33: 9). They were wholly apart for God. How important it was that there should be such, for at their mouth was to be every decision. Their word was to be final, and so here, He has “made us a kingdom”, but also “priests to his God”. Think of an enactment in the kingdom, an administrative action, and the priests of God turn to God; they are priests unto God. Look at them there! They have the burden of this action upon them. Is it of God? Will they think first as of God? They go in unto God. They are unto God, and God must come first. When I went into the sanctuary, says a great priest, my mind was all changed. So it is very often. You see how safety lies, dear brethren, in going in unto God. The same people that form the kingdom are the priests. He has “made us a kingdom, priests” — not ‘and priests’. That is to say, those who form the kingdom are the priests. How important that is! Priests unto God. You will have to come to Me before anything can be enacted to satisfy Me, says God. You say it is an assembly action. Very well, but God says, You have to come to Me about that. Priests unto God. That is a great matter, beloved brethren. Then it says, “to him be the glory”. Very well, you would expect that from the thought of priests; priesthood is maintained; is that not the first thing? “And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father: to him be the glory”. Everybody in there says, “Glory”. There is no partiality in there; no unholy thought in there. No, beloved friends, the holy presence of God permeates it and fills my soul as I [p. 6] go into it, and I begin to look over things. You see, there is safety in all that.
Well now, in chapter 5, as I was saying, it is priests to God again, but in a wider sense. We have the living creatures first in this chapter. We might wonder why that is. It is a chapter of energy; that is the secret of the chapter. We need energy in the things of God. But they sing a new song; when I admit the thought of something new I say, ‘Well, the way we have been doing things may not be just right’. We always need the principle of revision, being what we are. The constant tendency, beloved brethren, is declension towards the world, worldliness, worldly-mindedness: men admit this thing and that thing, and it seems nothing at the time, but in the aggregate, we have adulteration; so we need revision. It is very wholesome to look over things, you know, and see what happened. You say, ‘Well, this was done before’. Well the book of Jeremiah tells us that at one time he was arrested, and what were they going to do with him? An old man said, ‘Such and such a thing happened in the days of Hezekiah and the person that was to be prosecuted or put to death, was not put to death’. This was in favour of Jeremiah. Others said, ‘Such and such a thing happened in the reign of another king and he was put to death;’ so where are we? We need revision. This information does not help. It is not balanced. It is balance in a way but we have nothing. What are we to do under those circumstances? Well, beloved, they sing a new song, we are told here, and there are twenty-four elders, and four living creatures, the very pick of the results of the work of God. But you see, they sing a new song; they remind us that things must be always fresh and new. They are talking about others, that God has bought others. You understand they would say, Look here, God knows you, from every tribe, and kingdom, and nation, He has bought you with the precious blood of His Son, and He has made [p. 7] you kings and priests unto Him. So you see, beloved, how God comes into the matter again on the principle of revision, as I might say.
Then in chapter 20, we have a risen people. It is a glorious chapter. There are really three classes mentioned in the resurrection; they are on the throne, and they are all said to be priests unto God, priests of God and of the Christ. Are they not representative? They are. It involves, as it were, that they are of God, but they are representative here; they live and reign with Christ a thousand years. What perfection is represented in these priests! I can understand priests coming to any particular part of the earth in that thousand years. A matter comes up for adjudication. Will you not have a perfect verdict? Ah, yes! Everything will be as perfect as God is, speaking reverently. The assembly is said to grow into a holy temple in the Lord. That is what will mark the millennium. Everything will come out in the temple, and they will be exactly according to the mind of God. What a glorious order of things that will be! It is in prospect, and we ourselves are amongst them. We come first, as a matter of fact, in this category in chapter 20.
Now this expression, “of God and of the Christ” I want to link on with Malachi to show you how priesthood works out. I am speaking of it now, dear brethren, because it is so important at the present time that this element of priests of God and of the Christ should have its place, and the description that we have in this last book of the Old Testament is very significant. It is a fuller description; it is a description that you do not get anywhere else; not that you do not get the description of priesthood — you do; in Exodus 28 and 29, and Leviticus 8 we have priesthood as it was primarily established; but in Malachi we have to do with dark things, with apostate days, corresponding to Revelation, as I have been saying; hence, we have particular features of the priesthood stressed, and Jehovah says,
“Now, ye priests” [whoever you are] “this commandment is for you”. In this book, dear brethren, it is remarkable that God says in verse 4 of the last chapter that the law of Moses “which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel” should be remembered; it was not simply for the remnant, but for all Israel; that is, the law is in full force. People say, Well we must change to meet the times. That is the great bane of christendom. It is compromise to meet the times, and christianity is well nigh lost; priesthood certainly is. Malachi says, ‘Now look ye, here is the law, and it is not only for the remnant’. There is no law for the remnant. Properly it is the law which He commanded at Horeb for all Israel. You see where we stand. What a magnificent position on the one hand, but how serious on the other. And who are to be trusted in regard to this great matter?
The law, in Deuteronomy 33, is said to be a heritage. It is not an irksome obligation, a code; it is a heritage. Every man who loves God sees that it is a heritage, and we want it; and the priests’ business, dear brethren, is to see to it that it is maintained, and so you have this description.
There are eight items in the description, and the first one is that Jehovah said, ‘I made a covenant with Levi at the beginning. I made a covenant with him of life and peace;’ that is to say, ‘I set him up like a Supreme Court, independent of all other influence. I set him up with an income. I made a covenant with him of life and peace’. And then He says, “And I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and trembled before my name”. It says elsewhere that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. God has great regard for those that fear Him. He says, “but to this man will I look: to the afflicted and contrite in spirit, and who trembleth at my word” (Isaiah 66: 2). Trembling at the word of God brings in divine protection. “I will not be afraid:” says another, “what will man do unto me” (Hebrews 13: 6). If I am standing for what is of God, I can well leave it with God. Levi trembled at God’s name. He feared the Name. One might speak for a long time on that word “Name;” it is very significant here. It enters into the whole system that God has inaugurated. Levi says, ‘I fear that’. A man goes out into the camp and strives with another, and he blasphemes the Name. He is stoned. The Name is supreme and represents God. Of the angel sent to Israel, God says, “Be careful in his presence ... for my name is in him” (Exodus 23: 21). We profess to be gathered unto the Name. Let us be sure that it is so; let us not enact anything contrary to the Name. How easily we carry our own wills into what is outwardly in the Name. Oh, but it is loathsome to God. Levi feared the Name. He would not allow anything that would dishonour that Name. Phinehas saved the people. He turned away divine wrath from the people. What a wonderful incident! Another mighty man of David did that. It is a priestly service to appease the blessed God, and Phinehas saved Israel. God says, “Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace! And he shall have it, and his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” (Numbers 25: 12, 13). Phinehas had been with God and He brings it in here and now He just finishes the catalogue of things, the line of things.
I have spoken of the first, the covenant; the second is the law. “The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned away from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they should seek the law; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts”. Think of a great office like that, dear brethren! Think indeed of what God has in mind that there should be here a representation of the covenant, a messenger of it. How can that come about, save by these features in us of priesthood.
[p. 10] The position of a particular covenant with a priesthood and life and peace. There is a messenger of it, meaning that there is one who can present it to us; there is one who can unfold it to us and amplify it to us. What a great service that is! I believe God is helping us on that line, opening up the covenant to us as it is exemplified in and enters into the Lord’s supper. I am now speaking of the principles of priesthood as they are emphasised in these last days as meeting the general apostasy and darkness in these days. The covenant is first. He trembled before God’s name and the law of truth was in his mouth. That is a great thing to have in one’s mouth. One would be thankful if one could always keep truth there. It is the “Spirit of truth” in John’s writings. I want to point out the law of truth. I may say true things and the law may be lacking in them. The law is the spirit of truth, so that I convey the truth, not only in words, but I give the impression of it wherever I go. It says, “unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity”. Now this brings me to what I may call influence. “He walked with me in peace and uprightness”. He walked with God. The Lord says to the disciples in Matthew 28: 19, “Make disciples of all the nations” — make them. I do not know of any order given to men so great as that: “Make disciples of all the nations”. That is what enters into this. How can I make a disciple? By walking with God in truth and uprightness. That is how it works out as you read here, “He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity”. We have troubles amongst us or we have persons who need help, it may be. We complain about them and maybe rightly so, but then complaints will not do anything. Complaints will not make a disciple. What am I doing? Have I ever made a disciple in my life? If I have not, I have no right to complain. It is a question of example, of influence. It says, he “turned many from iniquity”. What a service! That is what we need. It is the influence that is needed. Can I serve any better than he? Can I make the man better? Can I show him anything better? Am I any better? If I am not, what am I talking about? God puts this upon us. How many there are who need to be turned from iniquity, mixed up in the various denominations of the world, for it is of the world. Our brethren are there and we need to turn them away. How can we do it? Firstly by example, by moral influence, and that is priesthood. That is what God is speaking about. He says, ‘It is not new, it is Levi’. The kind of thing was there. He says as it were, I did not emphasise it so much, I am doing it now. It was there. He brings it forward now. He “turned many from iniquity”. A book will be kept in heaven about Levi. What an honourable book it will be! What is it written for? — that I might fit into this. We have been made a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.
And then, the last passage I read in Revelation says, “priests of God and of the Christ”, so that we are really representative. And then it goes on to say in Malachi, “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they should seek the law”. Now you see, dear brethren, the priests are unfolding the law. We have a case in hand, What is the law? What does the Supreme Court say? What does the constitution say? What about the law? That is the idea. The first thing is the law governing this matter. We will never be right if we do not consult the law, and who is to consult it? The priest. The priest’s lips keep knowledge — a great contrast to the poison of asps under his lips. I think the priest has a divine knowledge. It says of Deborah that they came up to her for judgment. So the true priest is able to tell you what is the law governing the case and this is the first consideration. Oh, you say, ‘You deserved it’, but what do [p. 12] you deserve? You are making God suffer, if you are transgressing the law. Let us not be found guilty of it. Come to the priest. Find out what the law of the case is. That is the first thing. They should seek the law at his mouth. Will anyone escape God? No; but God is more concerned about His law than He is about me personally, not that He does not love me, but His law is eternal. The universe must go to pieces without a law in it. The law is the fixed principle. Without the law, things will go to pieces, and so in the assembly, “The priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they should seek the law”.
Well, these are great things; they are not mere theories. I am speaking to believers to whom this applies, as to myself. It is a wonderful thing — priesthood, and it finishes up with this, “for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts”. Yes, that is what he is, whatever we may think of him. Take a man like Jeremiah. I have been greatly encouraged in reading Jeremiah’s prophecy. What a sufferer he was, every day something new from God. The poor man was persecuted every time he gave a message from God but he never turned aside; he felt it. Even when the remnant goes aside in self-will to Egypt, he comes with them and keeps talking to them. The whole position is kept before the people and there they are persecuting the poor man. I can imagine him there and what came out of the mouths of this rebellious people. He was a messenger of the covenant to them all the time; and so it is with any of us, as we carry out these great and beautiful traits of priesthood in these dark days. God has a messenger, one who, as it were, represents Him and the covenant. For that is the point to make clear so that the saints should be in the enjoyment of it and that things should be maintained as I said before, according to the law. Well, I have been very simple and I suppose some would think very plain, and I hope I have been. We are living in a time when [p. 13] the densest darkness prevails, and when God is insisting upon His principles. We have a meeting and principles come out there, but when we come to apply them that is the difficulty. God is insisting on the priesthood to interpret the thing so that His mind is carried out. Thus the rights of God will be maintained and the assembly will be kept clear for God. God dwells in His house, and nothing will escape His eye. He says, “The righteous Jehovah is in the midst of her: he doeth no wrong. Every morning doth he bring his judgment to light; it faileth not: but the unrighteous knoweth no shame” (Zephaniah 3: 5). That is our position. May the Lord help us for His name’s sake.