WORSHIP
[p. 269] WORSHIP
2 Samuel 5:1 - 10; 2 Samuel 15:25 - 32
JT I thought we might look at the subject of worship. It requires close attention, in reading these books, to discern when David is a type of a believer and when he is a type of Christ. In his going up to Jerusalem with his men, he is more a type of the Lord; but abiding at Ziklag, as he did, and then at Hebron, is what enters into the experience of the believer. The early chapters of this book correspond more with what was at the beginning of our dispensation, whereas the fifteenth and succeeding chapters correspond with what is at the end. There is the idea of going up in each; and indeed, the worship of God is not on the level of what is current around in the way of religious observances, but is in moral elevation. David, in the first chapter, is seen abiding at Ziklag; then in chapter 2 he inquires whether he is to go up. In chapter 5 it is David and his men going without any inquiry; they went to Jerusalem. That would indicate spiritual movement. The former would lead to Romans and Colossians; the latter would be Ephesians. God seems to value the desire to move on. The going up in chapter 15 is in very different circumstances. David had failed, and disaster had come to his house, endangering the kingdom.
Ques Did you say that in chapter 5, David was more a type of Christ?
JT I thought so, only he has got men. The movement is more spiritual than by commandment.
Ques What had you in your mind as to the difference between going up by commandment and going up by [p. 270] the Spirit?
JT David abiding at Ziklag would allude to the believer’s entering into the teaching of Romans. All was lost, and all was restored or recovered. It says he abode there for two days — as a testimony — and there you get the spirit of Romans in the way of overcoming evil with good. Instead of glorying over the downfall of Saul, David laments over it; he laments the death of his enemy. The man who came to tell him about Saul’s death assumed that David would be governed by natural feeling, but he was not; he was typically a believer in the good of the kingdom. Much place is given to his words and actions to call attention to what had happened at Ziklag. Here, in the presence of men, we are to manifest the spirit of the kingdom, overcoming evil with good. That adjustment has to be seen in a practical way before any thought of ascent comes into question; it is in the thought of superiority over evil that going up comes in, but David does not do it of himself; he inquired of the Lord. In the history of the Christian, it is most important that he should be in subjection in his movements — not only in his ordinary affairs, but in his spiritual movements; in these he should also be under control. He may have power to do things, but he does not do them, because he is under control. It is thus we fit into the assembly. We have to learn that however much spiritual energy we may have, we have to be under control. The way was clear for David to move, for Saul was dead, but he did not do it without inquiry. “Whither shall I go up?” and the Lord said, “Unto Hebron”, 2 Samuel 2:1. That involves certain limitations which are wholesome; they make room for others. Moving up is spiritual; it is not physical. What happened at Ziklag is more a witness to what the power of God is; evil is overcome with good. Christ has brought that about in the kingdom; He brings it about in every believer; it works out in the believer heaping coals of fire upon his enemy’s head, because that is the quickest way of bringing him down. The coals of fire are giving him food and drink. That is the testimony before man. So I think you will see the importance of the two days at Ziklag, as showing that the exercise was completed. It was on the third day the messenger came, and the messenger was in keeping with his message. He thought David was such an one as himself. He expected a reward for his tidings, but he met death instead. The desire in David to go up is spiritual.
Ques Do you mean his lesson was so well learned that he would not go up without counting on the Lord?
JT He does not come into the full position at once. Then the lesson that has always to be learned at Hebron is that there is something which was morally before the world — something morally greater. Hebron was built before Zoan in Egypt. God has something in His mind that morally supersedes the world. John the baptist stood for much, but the Lord was before him. So at Hebron we learn what takes precedence of the world. It is not only that the world is bad, but whatever there is in it is inferior to what the mind of God is. Hebron was before the world in that way.
Ques Is that the purpose of God?
JT Well, I think you are going on to it — the hidden wisdom which God had determined before the world; you begin to see that there is that. Paul could not speak much of it to the Corinthians, but it was there.
Ques Did I understand you to say that there are movements that are the outcome of commandments, but that they should lead on to movements that are the outcome of spiritual instincts?
JT That is what I understand. I apprehend that, in heaven, we shall move not merely under [p. 272] commandment, but in spiritual intelligence. Having put down all rule and authority, the Lord hands over the kingdom to the Father. It will be headship then; the mediatorial kingdom seems to cease. He hands the kingdom over to Him who is God and Father.
Ques. What is Hebron?
JT It is like Colossians, where you begin to see that there are things that morally supersede the world. Christianity is morally before the world. Christ is Head of all principality and power; His Person is before us; He created all things; they are by Him and for Him. Though He came in historically later than some of the things mentioned, yet He is personally and morally before them all. He is the beginning of the creation of God; He is before all things. That is the idea. He is morally before all as man, as coming into manhood; all things have to give place to Him. In everything He must have the pre-eminence. You begin to see that in Colossians. There is the wisdom of God; wisdom is made a point of. “In all wisdom and spiritual understanding” “[so as] to walk worthily of the Lord ... strengthened with all power ... unto all endurance and longsuffering with joy” Colossians 1:9 - 11 You mean, in Romans not only is the ground cleared, but in Colossians you come into that which was long before the breakdown?
JT Yes, and what underlies that is the personal excellency of Christ when He was here. The excellency is there, and you begin to see it; He must take the precedence, because of what He is morally. What He is morally comes in in testimony. He is morally before all because of what He has been here. The mystery of God includes the saints. God is not arbitrary in what He is doing; He brings in what is morally superior. Moral excellency comes out in testimony.
[p. 273] Ques Do you mean, as in Hebrews, that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered?
JT Yes, and many other things go along with that. Heaven’s approval of Christ was not expressed until he was thirty years of age. It was always there, but it was to be shown before the universe. God has given a position to Christ, not only because of what He is as a divine Person, but because of what He has been here. He has qualified for the position. That is how headship comes about. So that, in Colossians, philosophy and vain deceit are put against not holding the Head. Following the Lord in the gospels, you feel that He must have the first place. In Matthew and Mark, He is anointed on the head — not by God, but by the one that is there. That is how you come into deliverance from the hierarchical system around. It makes it very simple, and yet very grand. You are now delivered from your own side, and led on into things. This kind of deliverance we are dealing with now is very rare amongst Christians. Deliverance by the commandments you begin with — what God has said. That must be recognised, although you do not understand the bearing of it. The command is imperative; you are careful for the commandment, and people are delivered from what is evil through it; but when we come to what we are dealing with now — seeing the greatness of His Person and the moral excellencies of Christ, being led on by that, you never go back.
Ques Do you think Colossians is on the line of Luke — the moral excellencies of the Man?
JT Yes, Luke is to support Paul’s ministry; but Colossians is the Son of the Father’s love and includes John’s side. Everything in Luke is carefully noted — Christ as a babe, then as a boy, then as a man; there are the three distinct stages. Then, when He is about thirty years of age, you get heaven’s [p. 274] recognition. If you follow these chapters, you will be in agreement with that; and you will also be led on to see that He is worthy. Heaven would know who He was, yet it is on account of the qualities that were found in Him as a man that He is the Head in Colossians. What have I found? Philip says to Nathanael, “We have found him, of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, Jesus the son of Joseph, who is from Nazareth” John 1:45. He had found someone. Nathanael was not ready for that; he took note of Nazareth. It shows how difficult it is for people to get delivered; they light on something that is under reproach. So Nathanael is detained by Nazareth. Why did he not think of Moses writing about this Man hundreds of years before, and of the prophets? It was the thought of Nazareth that occupied him. So now things under reproach are noted. Philip did not turn away from Nathanael, however; he says to him, “Come and see” It is not, what about the brethren, but what about Christ? When Nathanael begins to move, the Lord says, “Behold [one] truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile” John 1:47 That is the way the thing works. The Lord had seen something morally great in Nathanael’s movements, and He speaks of him correspondingly. God’s world will be marked by names indicating moral excellencies, Christ being supreme; Christ is all, and in all. Nathanael comes to the Lord, and He calls him “truly an Israelite” Nathanael says, “Whence knowest thou me?” John 1:48 The Lord knew him before he moved, but He gave him no name until he moved. Nathanael says to Him, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel” John 1:49 He began to see the excellency of what was there. The Lord says, “Thou shalt see greater things than these” John 1:50 The idea of movement runs through that chapter. After the Lord is seen walking, He sets things going, so that Andrew finds his brother Simon and brings him to [p. 275] the Lord, and the Lord looks on him, and gives him a name.
David reaches Hebron under direction, but now he and his men go against the Jebusites. This is a military movement in chapter 5; David here is a type of the Lord; he is going to establish himself in what would have a universal bearing. Although the great lesson of Hebron, of what is before the world, is there, yet it is limited; David then only reigned over Judah. Now he is anointed over all Israel, and the thought is universal, in agreement with Paul’s ministry. He would take Zion, which I think alludes to the hearts of the saints in relation to the purpose of God. David and his men go there. Ephesians is further on than Colossians, because there you have the length and breadth, and depth and height. It is a question of what is inward. The apostle prays to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He would strengthen His saints by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ should be there in a universal way. So in verse 9 you have, “So David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward” I think “the blind and the lame” allude to the state we were in but the Lord takes possession of us. The blindness and decrepitude of the people of God distress you when seeking to serve them. The enemy counts on the blind and the lame to keep David out, thinking that David cannot overcome such. But the gospel is intended to enlighten, so that the light is what is needed. I think it leads to Christ obtaining undisputed sway in the hearts of His people.
Ques Is that why Paul says, “For I would have you know what combat I have for you”? Colossians 2:1 Yes; he builds inwardly. That is where John’s gospel comes in. It is not a question of physical, but of spiritual elevation; it is upward and inward in John’s gospel; so that the culmination of John’s gospel is “where the disciples were” John 20:19 the doors being shut. But Jesus came in; He was there in the midst. Then a week after, the disciples were again within; it is a question of what is spiritual.
Ques Why are you laying stress on what is spiritual?
JT Because there is so little of it; it is such a scarce feature. We have our meetings, and the order of things which has to be respected, but spirituality is a rare thing — the ability to abstract oneself and to go in.
Rem That remains, however, for us in a day of brokenness.
JT Yes, and I think chapter 15 shows you how we reach it here. Take a look at the number of churches in this country, then look at brethren. We are apt to forget the conditions; they are most humiliating. Chapter 15 shows how spirituality manifests itself as dealing with and acting in those conditions; see verses 23 - 32. It would produce a state leading to worship, and God will not accept worship on any other ground. We have David’s feelings moved — he wept; without those feelings there is but little for God. What God looks at is the heart. When the Lord has undisputed sway in your heart, He leads you in; you have nothing outside to hold you back. The weeping is feeling the disaster that had come about. The Lord Himself wept. David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, although he felt the conditions. The commandment concerning the ark had been given to carry it again to Jerusalem, because you do not want to be a party. Although you may have to be separated from many that are brethren, you still regard them as brethren for they are all held in that connection from God’s side. David sends the ark back to the city. You do not claim to be the church. What you have is inward,
[p. 277] without any pretension. You have the things, but you feel it would be uncomely to pretend to have them, because others are not with you.
David’s tears prefigure spiritual tears, not tears of repentance; tears occasioned by the disaster that had come in. It is affecting to think of the readiness with which the people followed Absalom and Sheba. This chapter is a type of the weakness of things amongst us. David, as he ascends, is almost a type of Christ; he reaches the summit, and worships God. It is told him that Ahithophel is among the conspirators; he can do nothing but pray; he prays to God to defeat his counsel. Then he goes farther up, reaches the summit, and worships. As being spiritual, you feel all the workings of Satan; you are not indifferent to them. We need not be in Rome or in the Anglican system to see these workings; Satan will try to get a foothold among us. Ahithophel was a man of great reputation, one of David’s counsellors; such a man becoming a tool of Satan is no small matter. The more spiritual you are, the more concerned you are in regard to the forces against you. There may be no time or ability to write books against infidels, but there is time for prayer, and this is the most effective way of meeting evil. David turns to God. He says, “Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” In writing to the Philippians, Paul alludes to persons who were enemies of the cross; he spoke of them weeping. He knew what they could do. They were men of ability, no doubt.
I am sure it must be delightful to God, if He sees a few of His people emerging from all the confusion and reaching the summit of moral elevation. It is the ascent of the mount of Olives — it speaks of what is spiritual — the Spirit as power, so that Paul says, we “worship by [the] Spirit of God” Philippians 3:3 There is no other way of worship.
[p. 278] Worship in spirit and in truth comes in in 2 Samuel 15; they did not have the temple or the ark; it had been taken back into the city. The woman in John 4 made much of place; with her it was no question of feeling how things were; she had no thought that the ten tribes were torn away from Judah and out of view altogether. The Lord said, “[The] hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth” John 4:23 That is what you see in David here; he has left the place of worship, but he has the spirit of it. What is popularly called worship, being connected with religious show, material buildings, etc., is not worship in the true sense at all.