SPIRITUAL INITIATIVE (1)
[p. 117] SPIRITUAL INITIATIVE (1)
— We have here an example of divine intervention in answer to a felt need. The need was felt generally, but the intervention related to a certain locality. Two principles therefore are found side by side: what is general and what is local. The general exercise is in verse 7: “The children of Israel cried to Jehovah because of Midian”. Then the prophet is sent in relation to that general exercise. The need that was felt was a general need, and the prophet brings the thoughts of God in a general way. The angel of Jehovah comes into a certain locality, to Ophrah. If a divine representative comes into a locality, it is in relation to all that is of God in that locality. Then, there is a question that should exercise those who are of the locality: in what state is he going to find them? It says, “An angel of Jehovah came and sat under the terebinth that was in Ophrah”. The fact that the angel sat indicates careful discernment; being seated, the angel was watching all those who were in the locality, taking account of all. Thus, not knowing when we ourselves might have such a visitation, we should all do well to be on the alert. Gideon was well occupied; he “threshed wheat in the wine-press”. It was a region of vineyards; but he had an unusual occupation, for he was threshing wheat in the wine-press, “to secure it from the Midianites”. That is to say, he was aware of the enemy’s efforts at that moment. It says that the Midianites “destroyed the produce of the land” Judges 6:4. A brother who is with God can discern the general attacks of the enemy, and what exercises him is to meet his attacks, and preserve the saints from them. Gideon had no thought of being a pre-eminent [p. 118] servant, but he was occupied with what was of the highest importance at that moment. If we see the efforts of the enemy, we shall try to meet them, according to our measure, obviously. Gideon knew how to thresh wheat, and he used the wine-press, which was not intended for that, in order that the food, being hidden from the enemies, should not be destroyed. Like Gideon, each brother in his own locality can do something.
— Gideon was a man who felt the state of things in Israel, each one can be in that state of exercise before God.
— The Lord always considers us; He takes account in a special way of those who are occupied with something. It may be that I am not very capable, but I see what the enemy is doing and I do what I can to protect the saints from the enemy’s attacks.
— Can we say that affection for the people of God marked Gideon?
— Yes. He is introduced as being occupied with a very necessary work. The wheat must be preserved.
— The wheat indeed has a meaning, has it not?
— It is the principal part of the food in all countries. It says in Psalm 104:15, “With bread he strengtheneth man’s heart”. Wine gladdens his heart, but bread strengthens his heart. We cannot be satisfied with wine until we have bread. In this Psalm the bread precedes the wine (Psalm 104:14,15).
— Bread is the first food of man.
— Christ is the bread of God come down out of heaven, and unless the truth of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ is maintained among the saints, there can be no growth with them. Gideon was occupied with the primary thought of bread. He was occupied with a process which had in view to separate the grain from the chaff. Other services would be necessary to make it into food that could be eaten; it must [p. 119] be ground and kneaded and put in the oven. We see a young man without reputation who is occupied with what is most essential for the moment. He represents a young brother or a young sister who understands in a general way the needs of the saints in a locality, who understands the general attacks of the enemy, and who does all he can to counter his attacks. The enemy’s attack is very serious. Instead of saying, I can do nothing, for it needs a more able man than I, Gideon sets to work.
— He has individual exercises in relation to the whole company.
— Every young brother should learn, but the important question is: Have I some little spiritual initiative? One might say, I have no gift; the Lord has not sent me. But it is a matter of doing what my hand finds to do: “Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might” Ecclesiastes 9:10. You will see that men whom God uses in His service are those who begin themselves. When you start on the right road, the Lord is with you. There is an illustration of it in the second book of Kings, chapter 2. Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. The movement begins with Elisha, but then Elijah takes the initiative. “Elijah said to Elisha, Abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to Bethel” (2 Kings 2:2); but first of all, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. There was with that young man a spiritual movement. Then Elijah, who typifies the Lord Jesus, is with him in that movement. At one point after another Elisha is tested to show if that spiritual energy is maintained. I take a step; the Lord goes with me, and encourages me to go still further. But those whom the Lord uses in His service take the initiative themselves. My qualification for service is seen in that I begin from the outset in this way. Thus, instead of letting my hands hang down, I say, This work is to be done, and so far as it is within my power, I am going to do it.
— Paul said to Timothy, “Remembering thy tears” 2 Timothy 1:4.
— You will see that in every case where God uses men, they have taken the initiative. It is so with Moses; an Egyptian was smiting a Hebrew; then he intervened and saved the Hebrew; the next day it is two Hebrews who are quarrelling and he would set them at peace. He takes the initiative himself, not having received his mission from God — a mission which was committed to him forty years later.
One could quote other examples. It is a principle. It is to be noticed that in the gospels, Peter and John and the others were occupied in their legitimate callings; in one case they were washing their nets; in another, they were mending their nets. So, like Gideon, one does, with his might, what his hand finds to do. The angel of Jehovah salutes him, saying, “Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valour”. How honoured he was by that salutation! You began that way, Mr. L.?
— Gideon had no idea of being a mighty man of valour.
— He was doing a very ordinary thing, but his object was to overcome the enemy. It is specified that it was “to secure it from the Midianites”. He might have been lazy and hidden the wheat without threshing it, but it was much better to thresh it and reduce it.
— When Gideon replies to this salutation, he says, “Ah my Lord, if Jehovah be with us, why then is all this befallen us?” He identifies himself with the people; it is very beautiful.
— One cannot separate oneself from the people, can one?
— To separate oneself from the people would show pride; the state of the people is our own responsibility. Gideon was much honoured in the very fact that the angel of Jehovah appeared to him.
— [p. 121] He was with the people in a difficult moment.
— He was identified in an active way. The great point is that my hand does what it finds to do. The verses which follow show us that he had much to learn; but he did not have to learn to thresh the wheat. He knew how to thresh the wheat, and he threshed it.
— That is a good lesson for each of us.
— May each one be led to ask himself, As to myself, what am I doing? Is there anything that I can do? If I do not do what I can do, there is failure with me, and the Lord takes account of it. The Lord said, with regard to the woman in chapter 14 of Mark, “What she could she has done” Mark 14:8.
— We have here, in Gideon, a man who identifies himself entirely with the people; he says, “us”, and not ‘me’. We must have in our heart that which the Lord has in His heart, the assembly, otherwise one will only act for oneself.
— In verse 26 of the previous chapter, Jael put her hand to the tent-pin. She took what was available.
— That is a good thought. She did what she could. What Gideon said was quite right (verse 13): “If Jehovah be with us, why then is all this befallen us?” It was a question which rightly expressed what was in Gideon’s mind. What follows is beautiful: “And Jehovah looked upon him”. It is no longer the angel. It is as though it were said, Here is a brother who ponders! He has not perhaps much light, but he ponders; that is what God loves, those who ponder over things. Then He answers him, “Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of Midian”. It is what the man had. First, the angel of Jehovah addresses him as a “mighty man of valour”. He was to go in his might, as if God would say to him, Thou must make use of thy might. Thus the experience of Gideon would be like that of Paul when he said, “Of myself I will not boast, unless in my weaknesses” 2 Corinthians 12:5.
— “Go in this thy might” — What is this might?
— That is to encourage Gideon. A young believer needs to be encouraged. God does not cast us back upon ourselves, but we must estimate at its right value the strength that we have. For Gideon, the might comes from Jehovah, who made heaven and earth. If God is with me, there are no limits to what can be accomplished. We have what God is going to use. If I have the Holy Spirit and have learnt to make use of Him (Romans 8), I have power. “When I am weak, them I am powerful” 2 Corinthians 12:10. There is nothing to prove that Gideon was occupied with his own powers. He was not like one of those who say, “Here are we!” Numbers 14:40. If I pretend to have might, I am no longer qualified. He was conscious of his weakness, and this weakness is the source of his might.
— Does not this might show itself in Gideon’s action at the beginning?
— The wheat represents Christ, does it not?
— Gideon made no pretension; he had sober thoughts as to himself. But Jehovah had said, “Go in this thy might, and thou shall save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have not I sent thee?”
— He was typically a sober and intelligent brother who made use of the strength available to him.
— He made no pretension.
— If I live here, I take account of things as they exist generally; I see what the need is, and I act according to my capacity and according to the opportunities that present themselves. Generally, it is after this pattern that men whom God can use are presented. I believe that a brother’s gift comes to light first of all in his own locality; then, he goes out in the district, and then into the whole country. The Lord began His service at Nazareth, where He was [p. 123] brought up; then He visited the cities of Galilee; but in Luke He says, “I must needs announce the glad tidings of the kingdom of God to the other cities also”, (Luke 4:43) everywhere. What is essential is that I do not wait to receive help from elsewhere: I am going to make use myself of the strength God has given me. We can never say when, from an unexpected environment, God will raise up someone who will save Israel. A servant of the Lord, whom several of us knew, complained in his youth of the great needs of Christendom. Then, it was said to him, Improve the world by one man. In the case of Gideon, God intervenes and calls him “Mighty man of valour” It is good to see the intervention of God, but what am I doing in view of the needs of the locality?
— The spirit of Timothy is the spirit of Gideon.
— Exactly. He had a good report from the brethren among whom he lived before Paul used him. He had shed tears.
— But he was also conscious of his weakness.
— Jehovah said to Gideon, “I will certainly be with thee; and thou shalt smite Midian as one man”. He had certain resources.
— What were those resources?
— He had not only the strength to thresh wheat, but he had something that he could bring to God. He was not an ordinary brother; he was secretly a priest. He would present something to God. Notice what he brings. He makes ready a kid and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour; he puts the flesh [p. 124] in a basket and the broth in a pot; he brings all under the terebinth and presents it. See what an indication we have here.
— He is a priest, do you say?
— And he has something to offer. That shows that, in a typical way and in secret, he had been feeding upon Christ. The kid and the unleavened cakes speak of the humanity of Christ. He puts the flesh in a basket and the broth in a pot: he was a spiritual man. He had very humble thoughts with regard to himself, but he was a priest. He understood what was suitable to present to God. Then the Angel of God said to him, “Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth”. He is now under divine direction. He has an experience which is entirely personal to himself, which will come out later in his ministry, but it is an occasion specially for him. “And the Angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the Angel of Jehovah departed out of his sight”. His offering is accepted. Gideon typically is accepted in all the value of the offering. In the broth, it is a question of the essence of the humanity of Christ which is presented to God, which brings out the spiritual intelligence of Gideon. The Lord Jesus Christ become Man is presented in His infinite essence to God. At this point, the Angel of Jehovah departs. We see therefore what a wonderful occasion Gideon had, firstly in bringing the offering, and secondly in receiving divine directions as to its disposal. He had a unique personal experience; and there is no doubt that all those whom God uses have, in a certain measure, an experience of this kind. There will be a divine appearing, for God has His own way of making Himself known to us.
Reading with J.T. at Beauvoisin, 10th May, 1926, afternoon.