PREPARATION AND FURNISHING
[p. 227] PREPARATION AND FURNISHING
Luke 22:7 - 13; 1 Chronicles 15:1 - 4
I have in mind, dear brethren, to speak of preparation and furnishing, in connection with the service of God.
God has made particular use of the evangelist Luke in this regard. He lays emphasis on method, on order and on furnishing. The passage we have read relates the fact that it was the Lord Himself who had the thought of preparation for the passover. In Matthew and Mark, the thought arises with the disciples. It is a true sign of exercise before God, when we are exercised with regard to preparation and furnishing in relation to the service of God. Luke has in mind the vessel of service. So he begins his gospel with the presentation of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who were both of the priestly family. It says of Zacharias that he was serving God according to the order of the priesthood; “he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course” Luke 1:8. Then, we have the angel Gabriel, who must have been very well acquainted with divine order in heaven. Without doubt he had had his part in the celebration of praise, when the foundations of the earth were laid. It says that at that time “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” Job 38:7. The “sons of God” spoken of in the book of Job, are angels. So, in carrying out his service, Gabriel would have had in mind that order of things in which God is praised. He appeared to Zacharias in the temple. Then he appeared to Mary. Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth, as well as Mary, unite in a tribute of praise at the beginning of Luke’s gospel.
In the second chapter, we have the angelic choir who celebrate the marvellous event which had just taken place; they celebrate the birth of Jesus. An [p. 228] angel comes to the shepherds who were keeping watch by night over their flocks, and announces the glorious gospel of that moment. “Behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people; for today a Saviour has been born to you in David’s city, who is Christ the Lord” Luke 2:10,11. Then, “Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men” Luke 2:13,14. Heaven, so to speak, was giving expression to its emotions in accents of praise to God in the highest. There must have been an order, a perfect harmony, in the praise that went up to God. But God’s intention was that these praises should ascend to Him from the lips of men, and that there should be upon earth a harmonious choir which should be in accord with the heavenly choir. So, at the end of Luke’s gospel, after the Lord had gone up to heaven, we find the disciples continually in the temple, filled with joy, “praising and blessing God” Luke 24:53.
Simeon in the second chapter begins this song. He comes into the temple, led by the Spirit. He takes the Child Jesus into his arms. He praises God that his eyes have seen the salvation of the Lord. See how this feature of order in regard to the praise of God appears in the gospel of Luke! It is true that at the outset the song was found with “the sons of God” at the creation of the world, but if sonship belongs to men also in that the Son of God had come into manhood, nevertheless the service of God depends, in Luke, on priesthood, because of what we are still as in the flesh, and because of the world in which we are found. Priesthood is to be understood and taken up in order that this service may be maintained. I hope to come back to that later, but I wish to speak of this preparation for the passover. It was the Lord Himself who took the initiative, according to this gospel; and He chose the two [p. 229] disciples who had most intelligence and experience to prepare it. The importance of the preparation was such that He chose these two principal apostles. We may therefore learn from that what importance attaches to these external things, and see how necessary order and spiritual furnishing are in the mind of God. We may say that that is in view throughout the epistle to the Corinthians. The apostle refers to commandments, to directions, and to customs, and he makes it clear that he had not mentioned everything in the letter, because he says, “But the other things, whenever I come, I will set in order” 1 Corinthians 11:34. Further, he refers elsewhere to Ephesus, saying that he had left Timotheus there that he might set in order certain things; and in writing to the Colossians, he says that he rejoiced, seeing their order. The details of which the apostle speaks are so minute that he is even occupied with the necessity that a woman should have her head covered; he appeals to nature to teach these principles.
So, the Lord sent Peter and John to prepare: “Go and prepare the passover for us”. And it says, “And having gone they found it as he had said to them; and they prepared the passover”. We may be assured, dear brethren, that they omitted nothing of what the celebration of the passover for our Lord Himself required. Then we see that the place of the preparation was to be “a large upper room”. It was a large room, an upper room, and it was furnished. The largeness of the room suggests the increase that the Lord contemplated. He was indicating beforehand that the apostles were to be prepared for many conversions. These converts were not to remain without a home, and the largeness of their number was not to occasion any uneasiness, any embarrassment. So we find that after Peter’s first preaching, on the day of Pentecost, a large number of persons were converted; and the Holy Spirit tells us that “[p. 230] there were added in that day about three thousand souls” Acts 2:41. These persons had heard Peter’s words; they had repented, according to his word, and they had been baptised. No doubt, according to the word, they had received the Holy Spirit. A wonderful company of three thousand souls, were they to remain homeless? Were these persons to return to their different religious associations, as some of our modern so-called evangelists advise their hearers? No, beloved. Their entry had been anticipated by the great Shepherd of the flock. The “large” upper room would give us the idea that there was room for them. When the Lord came into this world He was laid in a manger. No suitable place had been prepared to receive Him. But if He has to provide for the needs of His own, He provides for them in a suitable way. I cannot say what will be the number of the redeemed who will enter into heaven, but I can say with confidence that there will be ample room for them. That place will be prepared, and prepared by the Lord Himself. He says, “I go to prepare you a place” (John 14:2); and what a place, dear brethren! The Lord showed beforehand, as regards those who were converted through the gospel, that there was to be room for them in the upper room. In chapter 14 of this same gospel of Luke, we see, in the parable of the great supper, that after many guests had been brought in, there was still room. “And there is still room” Luke 14:22. Then the master of the house said, “Go out into the ways and fences and compel to come in, that my house may be filled” Luke 14:23. So, beloved, provision was made for those three thousand converts on the day of Pentecost. They were not to go hither or thither to seek a spiritual refuge. During the Lord’s life down here, the disciples had been accustomed to provide for the needs of many persons. When it was a question of feeding five thousand persons, the disciples would have sent them here and [p. 231] there into the villages, but the Lord said to them, “Give ye them to eat” Mark 6:37. Then they had to be made to sit down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties; they were to eat in comfort and in happy communion with one another. Thus the apostles had had all this education and experience. Peter and John therefore ought to have understood. We find that these three thousand were added. The first time it is spoken of, it does not say that the Lord added them; it simply says, “There were added in that day about three thousand souls” Acts 2:41. That is to say, they were added to those who were already there. They were at least a hundred and twenty already. They were abiding, according to what is told us, in the upper room — “the upper chamber”; it was upon these that the Holy Spirit descended; and it was to these that three thousand souls were added in one day. We may be sure that the hundred and twenty had not taken the place that the newcomers were going to occupy. They were in “the upper chamber”, and they had not reserved the best of anything for themselves. The others were added, and became a part of the whole. The three thousand were to be welcomed among the hundred and twenty and share in the conditions in which these already were. Thus, we find a description of the whole company at Jerusalem, and that description includes the hundred and twenty and the three thousand. We are told that “they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers” Acts 2:42. They had been baptised in the power of one Spirit into one body, and on their part, they persevered. They formed one whole. No one said that anything of what he possessed was his own, but all things were common to them. You can therefore see, beloved, that the element of preparation was in the company. So, as the company increased, the preparation, the room and the furnishing increased as well. It also [p. 232] says that every day they were constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. The breaking of bread in those days, was a concentration of affections and intercourse. We cannot say how many houses were used for this purpose; seeing that the Holy Spirit mentions the fact, it is certain that it occupied a great place. The preparation, the suitable place, and the furnishing contributed to what was to give pleasure to God. There was not the least evidence of uneasiness, for the element of provision was among them. Since the furnishing was there, they were free to praise God.
The question arises, Is this element of preparation and furnishing found among us? If God places within our reach those whom He wishes to bless and encourage, do we give them to understand that there is abundant room for them, for the development of their thoughts and of their affections? Why should a true believer in Christ not be publicly in this sphere, so as to take part in this happy community where the love of God and the love of Christ are the portion of all our hearts?
It should be evident that, however large may be the number of those whom God exercises, there is room enough for them. One is conscious of one’s own weakness in that respect. How little sense we have of the elevation and largeness of the chamber, and of the furnishing which is suitable! There is abundant room for all the children of God; each one of them may there find room for the development of his mind, of his spiritual thoughts, of his affections. All who belong to the “house of Israel” and to the “house of Aaron” should have part in it.
I refer for a moment to the first book of Chronicles, where we have the same thought of preparation.
[p. 233] David had been reminded of the divine claims in a very serious manner, when he placed the ark of God upon a cart; in the thirteenth chapter it says that “they carried the ark of God on a new cart” (1 Chronicles 13:7); then it says that “the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he had put forth his hand to the ark” 1 Chronicles 13:10. The oxen had stumbled, and he had put forth his hand to hold the ark. It was a, solemn warning to David, that God took great account of the furnishing. And we find, in chapter 15, that David “prepared a place for the ark of God, and spread a tent for it”. Then he said, “None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve him for ever”. We see that David had profited by the severe discipline occasioned by the death of Uzza. This is for us, dear brethren, that we may not neglect the divine principles and divine customs that ought to characterise us in the service of God. So it says that “David assembled all Israel to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah to its place that he had prepared for it. And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites”. We see how David had understood what Jehovah had done to Uzza, and how he had profited by it. He sees that the ark can only be carried by the Levites. From this point of view the Levites are in effect priests. So in our days, God would assemble the sons of Aaron and the Levites. The ministry of John introduces the family; but the ministry of Paul, supported by Luke, introduces the priestly order. As possessing the Spirit, we must know that we have to do with the service of God; and the apostle says, “If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is the Lord’s commandment” 1 Corinthians 14:37. There is therefore an appeal to the saints; we are to have part in the service of God, and the [p. 234] service is to be according to the established order, the due order.
Now, before I stop, I would ask you to read Psalm 115:9 - 15. “O Israel, confide thou in Jehovah: he is their help and their shield”. If the priests are conscious of having need of furnishing, the word is: “O Israel, confide thou in Jehovah”. “Israel” refers to the saints as having the Spirit.
Then we have the house of Aaron. “House of Aaron, confide in Jehovah: he is their help and their shield”. As having the Holy Spirit, if I call upon God, He helps me: “Ask and ye shall receive” John 16:24. But then, viewing me as a priest, I confide in Jehovah, who is “their help and their shield”. I ask Him, and He gives me what I need.
“Ye that fear Jehovah, confide in Jehovah: he is their help and their shield. Jehovah hath been mindful of us: he will bless, he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; He will bless them that fear Jehovah, both the small and the great”. All the resources of God are at our disposal, in relation to His service. “Prove me ...”, He says later, “if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it” Malachi 3:10. According to verse 14, we can expect increase: “Jehovah will add unto you more, unto you and unto your children. Ye are blessed of Jehovah, who made the heavens and the earth”.
Let us read again Psalm 135:19 - 21. “House of Israel, bless ye Jehovah; house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah; house of Levi, bless ye Jehovah; ye that fear Jehovah, bless Jehovah. Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion, who dwelleth at Jerusalem! Hallelujah!” We see how the service of God reaches its climax, according to these thoughts, by way of the furnishing, and those who have part in this service appeal to those who should have part in it; they engage them to join with them.
[p. 235] After having suffered the discipline of God, David introduces the service by the priests and the Levites. The first book of Chronicles therefore shows us the wonderful result for God, the result seen in David who learnt what was suitable to God for His service. It is as introducing this service that he is called the “man of God”.
May God bless these thoughts to our hearts!
Address by J.T. at Bronac (Haute-Loire), 15th May, 1926, afternoon.