ADJUSTMENT
[p. 35] ADJUSTMENT
I have in view on this occasion to speak a word in relation to adjustment. I have selected a passage from the book of Proverbs because it is intended for adjustment, to the end that there should be vessels of usefulness and of ornamentation. These are two features that mark the house of God. Those who are in it aright are at the same time ornamental and useful. The Son is over the house, as we read in Hebrews, and He is concerned that the house should be in every way according to God. To this end the process of adjustment continues with every one of us. God, having brought in a model in Christ, proposes that each one in the house should be brought into accord with that model; and so the Epistle to the Colossians in large measure corresponds with the book of Proverbs.
One feature in Colossians is adjustment; that is, everything is to be according to Christ. “As therefore ye have received the Christ”, it says, “walk in him”; Colossians 2:6 and whatever is not in accord with Christ is to be rejected. That is the principle in Colossians, and we are told in that epistle that the Father “has delivered us from the authority of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love”, Colossians 1:13. The book of Proverbs is the book of the Son of the Father’s love. It is the book of Solomon’s proverbs, and he is the son of David, we are told.
You see, therefore, beloved brethren, that the adjustment is in the hands of One who will deal gently with us — who will deal in affection with us, and yet with the utmost firmness and precision. For Solomon, who built the house, being imbued with the most extraordinary wisdom known up to that time,
[p. 36] would of necessity act according to that wisdom in all his dealings, and so “the Father ... has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love”. Colossians 1:13. Notice, it is not into the ‘house’ of the Son of His love, for we cannot be in the house save as we pass through the kingdom. It says, “who has delivered us from the authority of darkness”. Colossians 1:13. We need to come under another authority.
What exists abroad in what is called Christendom is the authority of darkness. That is to say, certain doctrines and systems have authority over men’s minds and consciences by reason, in some instances, of their antiquity, and in others by reason of human greatness and learning. In every instance it is the authority of darkness. Men are held in it with a good conscience, for the reason that their consciences are darkened, and darkness has authority over them. Many of the Lord’s dear people are held in that darkness, and what God is doing at the present time is delivering souls from the authority of darkness.
Mark that word ‘authority’, as it should be rendered. From whatever cause — what power such a doctrine or system has over my conscience, and the more restful I am in it, the worse it is. Hence God moves — the Father moves — to deliver souls from the authority of darkness, and to translate us “into the kingdom of the Son of his love”. Colossians 1:13. Think of the difference, beloved, between the authority of darkness and the authority of the Son of the Father’s love. Those of us who have come under the latter know the blessedness of it, that while the Lord is firm in His dealings with us, they are all the dealings of love — they are the dealings of love combined with infinite wisdom. So that it is an immense thing for everyone, especially the young ones, to know that they are placed by the Father under the authority of the Son, for it is His kingdom.
Well now, as I said, Solomon is a type of Christ as the Son of the Father’s love. He is the most interesting babe in the Old Testament. His history is given to us from the very outset, so that we might have a full view of Christ, in type, as the Son of the Father’s love. I do not know an expression that is, in a way, more interesting than that — “the Son of the Father’s love”. John says, “We have contemplated his glory”. “The Word”, he says, “became flesh and dwelt among us”. John 1:14. One thinks with pleasure of the Lord, “The Word” as become flesh, moving about among men here upon earth. It is not that He visited among us, but He dwelt among us. He came within the range of men in that way — into their houses, mingled in their families, dwelt as a neighbour, so that He might become known to men. Hence John says, “We have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father”, John 1:14. It is not the Father there. It is an only one with a father; a figure that is intelligible to everyone on the earth, as one may say, for who is it who has not some idea of an only one with his father?
John contemplated the Lord Jesus as dwelling amongst men as an only one with a father. Who can undertake to define the details on which that statement was based? But He was known to the apostles, beloved, in that way. He was known as an only one with a father. So in chapter 1 of Hebrews, where the glory of Christ is unfolded before us so that He might become the supreme object of our hearts, we are told that God said, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son”, Hebrews 1:5. This is a quotation, as I understand, from 2 Samuel 7:14, enforced as it is in Psalm 89, showing that Solomon is to be taken as a type of the Lord Jesus as the Son of the Father’s love. Throughout the book of Proverbs we have the rule of the Son of the Father’s love.
As I said, Solomon is the most interesting babe in [p. 38] the Old Testament. I do not wish to eclipse others, such as Isaac, but what you find is that when Solomon was born he received a name prophetically from Jehovah. He had the names of Solomon and Jedidiah at the same time. God Himself loved him, and he is nurtured in the light of what he was to Jehovah both by David and Bathsheba his mother. He was his father’s son; as he says, “I was a son unto my father” Proverbs 4:3 — that is a word for young believers. It is not simply that he was David’s son, but he was a son unto him, which is a different idea. In contra-distinction to Absalom and others he grew up in his father’s affections and his mother’s affections. As he says, “Tender and an only one in the sight of my mother”. Proverbs 4:3. So he is nurtured in tenderest affections in his father’s house, and is qualified to address himself to all those that are transferred from the authority of darkness into the kingdom. Hence this book of the Proverbs.
Now, having said all this to make the situation clear, I want to come to my subject, and that is — adjustment. I use this word because it is a very forceful one — an expressive one — as applicable to every believer. I suppose there is not a believer in the whole world who does not even now need adjustment, and we need it in order that we should be on the one hand ornamental, and on the other useful. The word comes to us thus severally as to how much we ornament the house of God, and how far we are useful in it. For the idea of a vessel, as we get it here, is that it is to be useful, and we all know how vessels may be ornamental at the same time as being useful, and that is the divine intent.
The idea is that there should be a vessel for the refiner, and one covets the thought of it. The word is applied peculiarly to Paul. I think he stands out, after Christ, as the ideal of heaven as a vessel. The Lord said of him, “He is an elect vessel unto me”. Acts 9:15. What an immense thing that was! And then He [p. 39] appointed him as a minister and a witness. I want you to note for a moment, beloved, the great thought the Lord had in that vessel. He appointed him a minister; that is, an official servant; not a slave, but one set up in dignity in service. And then He said further, “and a witness”; the two things go together. The idea of a witness is martyrdom, but service is carried out in authority. He is a vessel to be employed as a servant and a witness.
So that I take it the apostle Paul is our model after Christ. He was called from heaven; the light shone round about him from heaven; he received his commission from heaven; and he said, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. Acts 26:19. He is here now in entire subjection to Christ, and in entire availability to Christ. He is for use — he is “sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use”, 2 Timothy 2:21. Think, dear brethren, of what the Lord had in that vessel. One never tires of referring to Paul as a model in that way. Well now, this chapter, as you will observe, was transcribed by the men of Hezekiah. It begins the third division of the book of Proverbs, and incidentally calls attention to the great gain of research — of diligence. These Proverbs had continued to exist in Israel for many years, and apparently no one obtained any good from them until the days of Hezekiah. I mention that because of the great importance of research — of inquiry. The Lord says, “Search the Scriptures”. John 5:39. We cannot do without that. Every line of Scripture was inspired of God, and is profitable — every Scripture; so that we cannot do without the Scriptures. It is not enough to know the Bible in all the versions; we have to “search the Scriptures”. John 5:39.
It says, “the men of Hezekiah”. That idea, I take it, corresponds with Solomon’s times. “Happy are thy men”, 1 Kings 10:8, 2 Chronicles 9:7 the queen of Sheba said; and Hezekiah has men. It is a great thing to get hold of the idea [p. 40] of men. The epistle to the Corinthians is mainly to bring that about in the Corinthians. They were babes. He said he could not write unto them as unto perfect. He could speak among the perfect the hidden wisdom that God had before the world prepared for those that love Him. Babes, on account of their state, shut themselves off from the precious hidden wisdom of God. But Hezekiah has his men, and they transcribed the Proverbs that are recorded in this chapter. What a find it was in those days! for Hezekiah’s days, as our own, were days in which adjustment was needed.
This chapter opens up with the idea that God hides. “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing” — a very remarkable fact to stand out. If it is the glory of God to hide a thing, then we may be sure there are things hidden which have to be sought out. For God, in the exigencies of His nature, values the things that He has; and He conceals them in order to disclose them to those who love Him. “God has revealed them unto us”. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him”, 1 Corinthians 2:9. Hence He conceals things. I mention this because it stands out in the forefront of this great principle of adjustment that there are things that God hides.
Then it says, “The honour of kings is to search out a matter”. That is, what God, in the exigencies of His nature, may hide, Christ searches out officially. We have to take in the idea of His mediatorship, and one feature is that He searches out things for us. Solomon himself represents the principle of a king searching out; he had right-of-way everywhere. If Solomon needed to investigate anything in Beersheba he could do so; he was king. If he needed to investigate in Dan he could do so. The king has right-of-way. Thus the Lord Jesus, having gone on [p. 41] high, is in a position to search out everything officially, and He does so in the gift of the Spirit. We have here the power of search: “The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God”, 1 Corinthians 2:10. Think of what is within our range, dear brethren, on the principle of inquiry! As the men of Hezekiah transcribed these neglected Proverbs, so the inquiring believer, as having the Spirit, may reach the depths of God.
Then the next great principle that confronts us here is that of height. It says, “The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable”. You see, adjustment is not local merely; if I am to be adjusted I am standing in relation to the highest heights and the deepest depths. Think of the vastness of the divine thought, beloved! We are told that “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens”, Ephesians 4:10. How far who can tell? But I am to be adjusted in relation to Christ in that position.
Then it says, “The earth for depth”. You might inquire, ‘Is that the crust of the earth?’ as geologists say. Which of the strata does that refer to? It refers to them all, and more. We are told that the Lord Jesus was three days and three nights — not in the crust of the earth — but in the heart of the earth. He could not go lower than that. “The earth for depth;” you say, ‘Are you speaking geologically?’ No, I am speaking spiritually. The Lord Jesus Christ went down — He went down in love. As the thought of His descent enters into my soul it prepares me for the wonderful adjustment which God proposes. He lay three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He went to the very lowest possible point in His love. Ephesians contemplates that, through ministry, we are to be brought “to know the breadth and length and depth and height”. Ephesians 3:18. Think of the depth!
I would urge everyone here to look at this — that [p. 42] your precious Saviour lay three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Would you not like to see where He lay? The angel said, “Come, see the place where the Lord lay”, Matthew 28:6. We have to take account of it spiritually. He went down to the lowest possible depth, and we are to know it. So we have “the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable”; as one may say, “The love of Christ which passeth knowledge”. Ephesians 3:19.
The next thing, dear brethren, is, “Take away the dross from the silver”. That is a process that we have to submit to. Young people especially are very slow to admit the presence of the dross, but it is there, and in a large measure. The silver is there, too, thank God. It is there in everyone that is “born again”; but the dross has to go. It may be an irksome experience, but the Lord loves us too well to allow that to stay. As you see it go, you see the wisdom of His love. He seeks to have a vessel, and so the dross has to be removed.
Then it says, “Take away the wicked”. There are those who allow the wicked in their communion. You cannot have anything suitable unless there is the principle of taking away the wicked. The fellowship of God’s people repels the wicked. “Remove the wicked person from amongst yourselves”, 1 Corinthians 5:13. It is obligatory on every company of Christians in the world to remove wickedness. It has to be dealt with authoritatively. It is a question of the king’s authority, otherwise there is not establishment. Things were tottering at Corinth because the wicked was allowed. He had to be removed, and he was removed, thank God. Then the door was open for God to come in and open up His heart to them, as we see in the second letter to the saints there. It was only a little while ago that, on the ship on which I was sailing, there was celebrated what is known as Holy Communion at seven o’clock in the morning, and [p. 43] it was open to all. Think of that! Think of throwing open to all the precious symbols of the body of Christ and the blood of Christ! How can His throne be established when wicked persons are allowed to sit down and partake of the emblems?
Then it goes on to speak of our relations one with another. It says in verse 6, “Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men”. That is the next thing. This is a word to young men who would serve the Lord. May He add to their number! As Moses said, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets”, Numbers 11:29. The need is great, but before we can serve we have to learn to take the low place. “Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men”. That is a principle of adjustment that every young man aspiring to service should take special notice of, because the Lord is over the house, and your place in it must be determined by Him. True enough that your gift merits room for you; it does, but nevertheless your gift does not determine your place in the house; the Lord determines your place there. The Son is over the house, and He gives you your place. No right-minded person would wish it otherwise; you want everything regulated by the Lord. Hence it goes on to say, “for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up higher, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes see”. There is a word; wait for that word from the Prince, “Come up higher”.
Then, as I said, it goes on to speak of our relations one with another. I must hasten through the following verse, “Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame”. Here we have a word for everyone of us, for the tendency with us is to strive — to contend for our points and our cause;
[p. 44] and this verse enjoins us to avoid that. You may be put to shame; it may mean your ruin, for your pride may get the better of you and “a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city”, Proverbs 18: 19. So that one has to be on his guard amongst his brethren about contending — about entering into strife. The principle of the house is that it is composed of sons of peace. “Solomon” means ‘peace’, and so the house is to be marked by that — by peace.
Then follows, “Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself, and discover not a secret to another”. If there is a cause between us, let us debate it in secret. “Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself”. What a simple and yet practical and effective principle this is! We have elsewhere, “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother”. Matthew 18:15. You see how practical all this is, that the saints should be adjusted in relation to the height and the depth, and then in relation to one another. So that you are to debate thy cause with thy neighbour by himself, and as it says, “Discover not a secret to another, lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away”.
Now, dear brethren, I have come to the end of what I call adjustment. We are set in relation with one another in the light and in the presence of supreme height and depth — the love of Christ in the depth to which He went, and the height to which He has gone. We are in the presence of that wonderful love. We are adjusted in relation to all that; we regard each other in that light, and now we look for ornamentation. It says, “A word fitly spoken”. How delightful to heaven it is that a company of God’s people should be set down thus adjusted! Then, “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver”. How delightful to listen to a word like that! The house of God is ornamented by [p. 45] such words. Scripture abounds with them from the lips of Christ and from the lips of others.
Then the next thing is, “as an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear”. Under these conditions, dear brethren, we are allowed to listen to reproof. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”; and heaven looks down as a brother seeks to gain his brother by reproof; and as that brother attends in subjection, it is like “an earring of gold”. As one bends over humbly and in subjection to hear a wise reproof, it is “an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold”. A wise man using his lips to convey a wise reproof, and an attentive ear receiving it, is likened to an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold in that way.
Thus in these simple practical ways, dear brethren, the house of God is ornamented. Then in the next verse, which is the last one I intend to speak on, we have what accrues to God under these circumstances. It says, “As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him; for he refresheth the soul of his masters”. In these simple ways we have the ornamentation of the house in vessels fitted for it, and then we have refreshment for the blessed God Himself in a messenger. The idea of a divine messenger is of immense importance, for it involves a question of trustworthiness. Is there one that God can entrust a message to? So a faithful messenger is like the cold of snow in harvest; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Notice the “masters”. Philip had two. You will remember the angel sent him, and then the Spirit of God sends him. So that the position of a servant is that he has masters, and in faithfulness he is like snow in harvest time; he is refreshing. “He refresheth the soul of his masters”.
I suppose the greatest accruement from the gospel address is what goes to God. I don’t know how many [p. 46] preachings — gospel meetings — Noah held, or whether he held them at all. I do know he was a preacher, such a preacher that the Spirit of Christ is said to have preached in him. I don’t know how many heard him, but I do know that he refreshed God. He had no converts as far as we know. The results of his service were outwardly small, but we may be sure of this, that during the 120 years of his service he refreshed the soul of his Master in his faithfulness.
I say that so that we might not be discouraged in our preachings. The first great principle in a messenger is to be faithful. As Paul says, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. Acts 26:19. He went from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum. He says, “I have fully preached” — marvellous statement of faithfulness — “I have fully preached the gospel of Christ”. Romans 15:19. How much refreshment there was for God in it! He was a sweet odour of Christ unto God in those who were saved and in those that perished; even in those that perished, for he says, “We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish”, 2 Corinthians 2:15. So that we have every encouragement to go in for adjustment, so as to be vessels for ornament and for use in the house of God.