LIBERTY

A.P.Devenish

Genesis 41: 9-13; Judges 16: 21-30; Acts 12: 5-8; Hebrews 13: 23

These first three scriptures speak about the prison, and the fourth, Timotheus being set at liberty. We could profitably consider what these persons represent about whom we have read, and see that the truth that they embodied, that was expressed in them, should be set free amongst us. Someone has said that Peter in prison in Jerusalem represented the truth being in prison; that is, in a certain sense there was decline in Jerusalem and what was official perhaps rested in. What Peter had come into the gain of in chapter 10 was hindered in its expression. How the Lord helped this remarkable man to get an apprehension in his affections of the universal and heavenly character of the assembly: "a certain vessel descending as a great sheet, bound by the four corners and let down to the earth" (Acts 10: 11), and the tender solicitude and interest of heaven in view of his coming into the full current of the Spirit's operations, securing a place in his affections for the truth of the assembly in its universal and heavenly character. Jerusalem had not kept pace with the current of the Spirit's operations and in a certain sense Peter in prison would suggest that what he had come into the gain of, what he was now the embodiment of, was imprisoned. So it would raise exercises with us as to whether we are in the current of the present operations of the Spirit of God and whether we have made room in our affections for what heaven is engaged with. We might well hinder the expression of the truth amongst us. Mr Taylor said that the truth of the Supper has been brought out of captivity. Think of how it was and is held as a mere formal ritual in the systems of men but how the Lord brought the truth of the Supper out of captivity, putting it in a suitable setting so that we can enjoy that wonderful truth as we assemble in view of what the Lord says: "this do in remembrance of me", 1 Cor 11: 24.

No doubt what is suggested in Jerusalem is distance. What is angelic is referred to, and unbelief: while they were praying, they were amazed when Peter was delivered. These two great features may characterise us and hinder the truth that is seen in Peter being experienced and enjoyed by us - unbelief and distance. Rhoda is referred to, she came to listen. Heaven is distinguishing a young person. You may say there were a lot of distinguished persons in Jerusalem, the twelve were there. One would not speak against them at all, but Jerusalem had not kept pace with the movements of the Spirit. It is not one of the twelve that is distinguished in this chapter, it is a little maid by name Rhoda. The fact that it gives her name shows that heaven is distinguishing what shines in her - a character or state of soul that is impressionable to the current operations of the Spirit- and through her all that Peter represents comes into the company. Would you not like to be like that? They said "you are mad". She was persecuted, but she maintained that it was so. She is faithful to her conviction, and through her Peter was received and all that he represents as the product of the tender interest of heaven which brought into his affections, over against the Jewish prejudice that marked him, the precious light and truth of the heavenly and spiritual and universal character of the assembly. I just speak of this first because it illustrates what is in mind, that the truth may not be imprisoned because of unbelief, or by maintaining what Jerusalem represents now (see Gal 4: 25). The Lord would look on from Jerusalem. The metropolitan idea was no longer in Jerusalem, it was in heaven. And how were the saints to be helped in Jerusalem? Not by a distinguished apostle but by a little maid who represents a characteristically impressionable person without any prejudices. A child has no prejudices; a child-like character is impressionable. All that Peter embodies as going right back to his spiritual beginnings, all that was gathered up in that remarkable vessel, was let in to the assembly in Jerusalem by a little maid. So it may not be the most distinguished brother or sister in the locality. May all of us desire, whoever we are, the character of this little maid, of a little child. The Lord says "I praise thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes", Matt 11: 25. That is not babes in the sense of immaturity. Babes at Corinth, babes in Christ were immature persons, but babes in Matthew 11 are persons that were impressionable: "hast revealed them to babes". It is that character, unsophisticated, unprejudiced, that can receive impressions of Christ. One would suggest that we see how the truth is to be enjoyed; and we may think about unbelief and distance, dear brethren, how they hinder the enjoyment of the truth of the assembly.

Angels were linked generally with how God operated in the previous dispensation. The coming in of Jesus involved nearness. The time of the assembly involves nearness, nearness of God to men. How God came near to men in Jesus, how he overcame their prejudices. And then nearness between the brethren, nearness not distance, not unbelief. Do we come together in faith that the Lord will do something in our midst? Or is it just another occasion of a pleasant exchange of knowledge of the truth that we have accumulated. Do we experience the fact that the Lord would come in and effect something in our hearts? Peter was given the keys of the kingdom of the heavens - a remarkable commission! But then we have to be brought into sympathy with God, into sympathy with the Spirit in His current operations so that in his affections there should be room made for the truth of the assembly. Peter says "Report these things to James and to the brethren"; that is, he would desire to bring to them the light and enjoyment of his experience. Then it says he went out and went to another place, as if to suggest that he is moving now in the current of Paul's economy of local assemblies. It brings forward the tremendous need of recognising that every local assembly is in direct relation to heaven and the need not in any sense to operate against that. He went to another place. I think as we go on in this book, to Antioch in the next chapter, you get a suggestion of reaching the centre of operations. But that is to be experienced in every place, that every locality has its own direct relations with heaven, and in every matter that arises the locality is adequately furnished to arrive at a conclusion which is according to God.

In the scripture in Genesis Joseph and what he spiritually represents was in prison, and the cup-bearer remembers an experience he had had while he was in prison with him: “I remember my offences this day". What shines in Joseph is the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of revelation. Earlier in his history, as a young man (he was a remarkable young man), when in circumstances of temptation he says "how should I do this great wickedness and sin against God?", Gen 39: 9. So you can see that the truth is embodied in persons. It says he fled and he left his garment in her hands; it was really a testimony to her of his righteousness. He would not take what belonged to another. He did not succumb, he did not give way. There was in him what could not be corrupted. That is a great thing for many who are younger, and all of us, to think about, as the world in its attractiveness tempts us, that we may be preserved as having some impression of the holiness of God. "How should I do this great wickedness and sin against God?". So in a sense there may be imprisoned in each of us what is characteristic of God's work; I may not allow it to come into expression. I may give way to temptation, I may be overcome. But I think that by the Spirit we are to allow what characterises God's work in our hearts to come into full expression. This is more than just abiding by the rules. Young people say, Perhaps I must not do this because my parents would not approve or the brethren would not approve. But this is more than that. I would not say that it would not be right for young persons to speak that way: I think it would. We are thankful for any restraint that there may be. It speaks about the "colt bound to the door without at the crossway" (see Mark 11: 4). Thank God for any restraint that there is. This is something that springs from the heart. "How should I do this great wickedness and sin against God?". And then he flees. It is well to flee. Paul says to Timothy "but youthful lusts flee", 2 Tim 2: 22. But Joseph left that testimony. Then what really comes out in Joseph is his ability to reveal secrets. He is the sustainer of life but he is the revealer of secrets. You may say that in him was the spirit of wisdom and of revelation. Paul speaks about that to the Ephesians: "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him", chap 1: 17. Pharaoh had a dream and Joseph's wisdom was not available; he was in prison. How often that has been the case in the history of the testimony. Pharaoh tried to get an answer. He called the scribes and the sages. We may have some sages among us and some scribes, but the one who could answer was in prison and the Lord brought it home to the cup-bearer that he had offended, that there was one who was able to reveal secrets. Through his confession and acknowledgement of how Joseph had helped him, Joseph becomes available to reveal the secret of Pharaoh's dreams. I make an application of this, that what Joseph embodies and what is so needed at the moment, what the sages, men that were distinguished as wise men of Egypt and the scribes, could not answer Joseph could. So the cup-bearer through repentance, the acknowledgement of his offences, makes available the wisdom of Joseph. PauI says "he has been made to us wisdom from God", 1 Cor 1: 30. Is there someone in our localities who, through repentance and the acknowledgement of having offended in forgetting the true Joseph, that is the Lord, carrying on his service without Him, can now be the means of making available the wisdom that is in Him? Maybe he is still in prison. Maybe human wisdom is holding Joseph in prison. It says "Jews indeed ask for signs and Greeks seek wisdom", 1 Cor 1: 22. Maybe we are looking for some remarkable intervention, some sign, thinking that things will all be solved if there is some remarkable intervention from heaven; more likely it is the activity of the human mind, what the Greeks represent. But it is effectively shutting out Joseph. And one would just suggest to the brethren that we consider that the cup-bearer through repentance is the means of Joseph's wisdom becoming available in order that what was needed, what Pharaoh needed, the interpretation of his dreams, might be answered. One after another all the sages would have to say we were not able for it; we are not able to answer the questions; we are not able to solve the difficult problems; we are not able to reveal the secret of Pharaoh's dream. But there is One who is able. He is a great resource in order that we might have every matter resolved to the glory of God. We go on in this wonderful book and see Joseph's extraordinary administration. Beloved brethren, if we would just let the Lord in, that the prison doors might be opened through a repentant man in your locality, we will find wh.at a fine administration there will be. There will be no lack of food, no need, no unresolved questions. Would you not like to give a lead in this? Not a lead in how well you can solve the matter because you have had so many years in the testimony, so much experience, are so spiritual. It is a repentant man that brings in Joseph.

I refer now to Judges. Samson is in prison. He represents remarkable latent power based on Nazariteship, Nazariteship meaning, I think, our personal devotion to Christ. But then he gives away his secret. They ploughed with his heifer. That is what he says: "If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle", chap 14: 8. What does that mean? Samson is a remarkably powerful man, he had remarkable strength to effect things for God, but he had a vulnerable side; and we all have a vulnerable side. The Philistine, Satan through the Philistine, would be seeking to overcome Samson and he succeeded. You have ploughed with my heifer is suggestive of what is vulnerable in us what can be affected by influence and sap our strength. He was grinding in the prison because he had given way to Delilah's influence. So it is very important that the truth is held in balance in our souls, that the feminine is protected by the masculine and that the masculine, the side of government is rightly influenced, government according to God. Take Pilate's wife. There he was on the judgment seat and she sought to influence him in a right way; she said "have nothing to do with that righteous man", Matt 27: 19. It says she suffered in a dream because of him. So the truth is to be held in balance. There is what is masculine which would involve what is protective, rule and government in view of protection. The feminine side is soft and impressionable, vulnerable therefore and needing to be protected. You have 'ploughed with my heifer' would mean that they had taken advantage of the vulnerability that they recognised was there and hence had sapped his strength. So he is grinding in the prison house. But then he comes out. It says the hair of his head began to grow. That was one feature of his Nazariteship, that no razor should come on his head, meaning I suppose that he would not be conformed to this world. "Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind", Rom 12: 2. So here the hair began to grow on his head, life was coming into evidence apparently unnoticed. But then you see him coming out in power. So he says "let loose of me". Every little bit of influence, everything that would have held him, he would be free from in view of this remarkable expression of strength. It says he bowed with might. He is one of the most remarkable types of the Lord Jesus going into death. He bowed with might, not in weakness, and the whole house of the Philistines was brought down through his death. I just suggest that we want to see that this feature of power and strength linked with Samson is not sapped through influence. It may be personal influence, it may be the influence of special affinities. How many ways Satan is active to undermine the testimony going forward in spiritual power! How many ways he gets at us because we have a vulnerable side! The Lord may help us to protect the local assembly, protect the assembly as a feminine vessel. How much good government and strong government is needed to protect what may be vulnerable to the attack and influence of the enemy. Samson's power, therefore, and the overthrow of the Philistine for the deliverance of God's people, came into expression, mighty expression, in the readiness to accept death. Power for deliverance will come in through persons being prepared to die for the overthrow of the Philistine.

One would just close with Timothy. It is very interesting that Timothy is said to be set at liberty: "our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he should come soon, I will see you", as if Timothy brings Paul. Timothy, as has been said, is a representative man that goes through to the end. Paul speaks so well of him: "my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in mind of my ways as they are in Christ", 1 Cor 4: 17. He also says "For I have no one like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on" (Phil 2: 20), and goes on to say: "all seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ". So is Timothy at liberty? Perhaps he was in prison literally. But is he at liberty? If he is he will bring Paul with him. What does that mean? How could you limit what we would enjoy in our local assemblies as we are together - Paul's intelligence in the mystery, his unfolding of the truth of the assembly, sonship revealed in him. ls Timothy at liberty? He is a representative man. Paul entrusted things to him. He says "Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted", 2 Tim 1: 14. Is Timothy at liberty? It says ''with whom, if he should come soon, I will see you". One would suggest that what characterised Timothy is what should characterise us, and if there is one brother or one sister that sets out what Timothy represents as a beloved and faithful child who cares with genuine feeling how the saints get on, in a certain sense they will bring Paul with them. All that Paul unfolds in his ministry, the two great services that were committed to him - the glad tidings and the mystery - all becomes available to the brethren as we are characterised by the features that marked Timotheus - beloved and faithful child who will put you in mind of my ways. As Timothy was at Corinth what would they say? It is the same spirit, the same ways as we saw in Paul. One desires that these applications may be acceptable, that the brethren may see what is in mind, that these wonderful truths embodied in such persons may be set free amongst us. May it be so, in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

 

GLASGOW

15 December 1984