DIVINE WISDOM OPERATING AGAINST APOSTASY (2)
[p. 13] DIVINE WISDOM OPERATING AGAINST APOSTASY (2)
Rem There are a good many here this morning who were not here yesterday afternoon. An outline of what we had before us might be helpful.
JT We read in chapter 14 yesterday; the thought being to show how the door has been opened, in the history of the assembly, to the agents of evil as represented in Absalom; the bringing back of Absalom being the result of Joab’s desire to advance himself, to ingratiate himself with the king. So that he hires a woman from Tekoah, having the reputation of being wise, and puts words in her mouth to say to the king; all calculated to work on his natural feelings and affections.
The thought was that we might see that in the assembly having been weakened under the general breakdown — as in David’s own personal history — the sense of the presence of God being weakened, natural feelings obtained largely. These natural feelings were appealed to by those who were in power (such as Joab), with the result that the door has been opened to persons who are antagonistic to Christ, persons who are known to be guilty, as Absalom was, but received back without self-judgment. So that the woman’s speech to David was marked by a certain amount of truth; but what truth was there was so presented that it was deceptive. It was accompanied by fulsome flattery of David, because she accredited him with the wisdom of an angel of God. She says twice over that he was as an angel of God, knowing good from evil, etc.; so that we are to be warned against natural feelings and flattery in dealing with evil. If persons seek to gain admission amongst us,
[p. 14] unrepentant, they are sure to appeal to our natural feelings and flatter us. They will probably tell us that the truth is with us, and the ministry is with us, but we shall have to be sure that righteousness exists, or we shall be deceived. The woman’s saying, “God ... devises means that the banished one be not expelled from him” 2 Samuel 14:14 was in itself right, but then she said something which shows she had not the light of God: “and God has not taken away his life” 2 Samuel 14:14, that is to say, God did not require atonement. He would bring His banished back without death; that is not true. There must be shedding of blood: “Without blood-shedding there is no remission” Hebrews 9:22. It is well to notice this in her speech, because it helps us as to the kind of thing the enemy introduces. While the truth may be there, there is something which nullifies it. She says, “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; and God has not taken away his life, but devises means that the banished one be not expelled from him”, 2 Samuel 14:14. She says nothing about the need of repentance in the banished one, or that his life was forfeited. But that life has to go; it either goes in the death of Christ or in the judgment of God by-and-by. And so it has to be applied now in regard to those who are to walk with us. The woman says, “we must needs die” 2 Samuel 14:14 but this is not dealing with the special guilt of the one in question.
Rem The Authorised Version does not show that very clearly. It is J.N.D.’s translation that helps us. It is, “God has not taken away his life”, 2 Samuel 14:14.
JT The authorised Revised Version has, “Neither doth God take away life”, 2 Samuel 14:14. What Joab put into her mouth was, in this respect, not true; and then she adds: “And now that I am come to speak of this thing to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid”, 2 Samuel 14:15. She insinuates that there is [p. 15] a movement in the people that David had to reckon with, to act on his fear. She says further on: “for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and Jehovah thy God will be with thee”, 2 Samuel 14:17. And then she discloses that it was Joab’s suggestion; but all the time David is receiving her thoughts and being deceived by her.
Rem It seems to be a case of telling the truth to hide the truth, and on the other hand, flattery. They are two very great evils.
JT I think they are evils that have to be faced now, for the enemy, as using what is deceptive, is sure to flatter you. It will be conveyed to you that you are a wise man; yet all the time you are receiving what is wrong.
Rem “Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life” Proverbs 4:23.
Rem I suppose we are all in danger of the same thing; we are easily turned to the side of natural feelings.
JT David acts on the suggestion, and Absalom is brought back; and now in Jerusalem they have an unrepentant murderer, and he soon shows his hand in violence in burning the field of barley. This chapter gives us a life-size picture of Absalom. It is not now the woman, but Absalom’s own actions, to bring about his enthronement. And all this is in the presence of David, so that we are reminded of the weakness there is — David, representative of what is of God, but even so, liable to be deceived. We are exposed thus, for we are still in the flesh.
Ques Would you say that it is only the truth that can preserve any of us?
JT Someone has just remarked, “Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded” Proverbs 4:23 you have got to watch that, because your natural feelings would be appealed to, if you are to be deceived.
[p. 16] Ques Do you not feel that the enemy is trying to bring in these principles of Absalom among the saints?
JT Yes; that is what he has been at since the apostles’ time. They had been going out — the antichrists — but since then they have been coming in; the door has been opened to them. So that, in Rome we have the cage of every foul bird, but in Protestantism we have a tree in which the birds of heaven roost. All is to bring about the great apostasy.
Rem The serious thing was that Joab helped to bring this about.
JT That is the serious thing; he represents the orthodox, but selfish. He may be regarded as representing the great clerical system. Generally the clergy are not free to speak about the Lord as they wish; in principle, words are put into their mouths; words which are more or less true, but each denomination has its own peculiar tenets, which have to be observed. Thank God, there are exceptions, but generally repentance toward God is not pressed, and so the door is opened for persons who do not judge themselves. Thus the enemy acquires agents whom he uses against Christ.
But when God allows crises to come about, what is of Him begins to awaken, and comes into evidence. So that David sends the ark back to the city; he shows that he is not governed by personal motives, he is thinking of what is of God. And in sending back the ark through Zadok and Abiathar, he established in the city a secret system which meant the overthrow of Absalom’s system. That is what I think we ought to see in the awakening which has occurred in the assembly. In the ark’s presence with the priests and Hushai and those young men, David had a system under his hand, by means of which the whole apostate system should be overthrown. That is to say, the wisdom of God is now beginning to act,
[p. 17] and that is one of the most interesting things I know of.
Rem Hushai was characterised by love for David.
JT Yes; he was David’s friend. David now has, in the very midst of Absalom’s system, what will be the means of its overthrow. I think that when an awakening to what is of God comes to light, it is no longer a question of numbers. It is like that which you get in Ecclesiastes, the poor wise man delivered the city. It is a question now of wisdom.
Ques How would you apply that today?
JT Well, it is the wisdom that God works out in His people. They have no public position; they are not known. These priests were not known in Absalom’s system as relating to David. They were secret, as it were, but they knew what to do. They were governed by the wisdom of God.
Ques Was the ark the nucleus around which the system was to revolve.
JT That is right; David would place it where it belonged. You place Christ where He belongs, so to speak; He stands in relation to all. And in relation to the ark there were Zadok and Abiathar, Hushai and those young men, so that presently things begin to move. Hushai’s wisdom is against Ahithophel, and it prevails.
Ques Do you mean that this system exists at the present moment amongst the people of God?
JT The wisdom of God is at work, and the principles that are going on mean the overthrow of the antichristian world. What is going on today means the overthrow of the antichristian system and the setting up of what is of God.
Rem “greater is he that is in you” 1 John 4:4; what is of God will prevail.
JT That is right, but it prevails in a secret or unseen way. These men were true to David; and they are governed by divine wisdom.
[p. 18] Ques Do you think that Hushai would represent the unofficial element? I was thinking of Luke in relation to Paul. He was his friend; he was sympathetic with all that God was doing to His servant and he moved on in an unobtrusive way.
JT Just so. Hushai would be governed by his friendship for David in all that he did.
Ques I was wondering if provision was made for all this in John’s gospel, from chapter 13.
JT Yes. The disciples are all under commandment; they are not acting for themselves. So that in that section in John’s gospel they have His commandments and keep them. There is to be no deviation from the commandments, otherwise everything is sure to fail. The keeping of His commandments would be the proof of their love for Christ. There was also the keeping of His word, which would imply wisdom.
Ques Is there any point for the present day in David’s friend proposing to act for the enemy?
JT Of course we have to make allowance for the dispensation. We could not think of anything like dissimulation now. It was to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. David knew that Ahithophel had wisdom according to man.
Rem Ittai represents attachment to David in death or in life; it is true discipleship.
JT Yes; so that David’s challenge to him would bring out the attachment that should mark disciples. David controls everything as to his followers now — as in rejection.
Rem He would not be like the woman in the previous chapter, who recognised that death was not necessary.
JT He recognised that it was necessary. The brook Kidron represented it. Everything hinges on Christ in type here; so that Ittai and his little ones pass over. David was going out of Jerusalem, and [p. 19] passing over the brook was crucial; then there was the weeping and bare feet. Mark, he was going up; there was moral ascent. All these things enter into the position of recovery. Thus we see that the faith which was dormant when David was at ease, shines in adversity.
Ques Those sent back represent another position. Together do they present the full picture?
JT They are two phases of the same thing. Those that are sent back refer to the same people, only in their secret relations with David, but unknown in the apostate world; that is, it is not known that they are related to David. They are in relation to David rejected; so that their position would be regarded as treason. That is our position, if the world knew. Hence the persecution of early Christians, and later by the Romish system.
Ques How are simple souls to be preserved from being carried away when the enemy approaches through a man like Absalom?
JT Well, that is one of the solemn features. The two hundred men in verse 11, who went out with Absalom, went out in their simplicity, but they went out. They are on the side of antichrist.
Ques Would you say that it is real affection for the rejected king that preserves us from coming under such a rebellious head?
JT Ittai represents that side, those who love the Lord Jesus Christ. And John 14 shows that they keep His commandments, as having them.
Ques Did not those who went out ignore the ark?
JT Yes.
Ques Someone referred to John’s gospel, would you say that the great preservative would be what we have in John’s writings?
JT Yes. “the king went forth, and all his household after him” (verse 16); then it says, “the king went forth, and all the people after him, and stayed at the remote house” verse 17. The remote house would point to moral distance between Jerusalem, as coming under the domination of Absalom, and David’s encampment. David’s encampment is the remote house, which I think points to moral distance between Absalom’s sphere and David’s. And then it says, “All his servants passed on beside him” so that you have his household, his people, and his servants; and in verse 18, “all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed over before the king”. These all represent certain elements in the position corresponding with Christ’s rejection. It is a question in the history of the assembly — the antitype. David is rejected here, but his companions represent what we have now. We go back to the beginning and see that the Lord has a system here, but in result this system becomes obscured, and is outwardly in the very midst of the apostasy; but as governed by the commands of Christ, divine wisdom begins to act so that you see the overthrow of what is against Christ. All that gives the position a wonderful importance, and it should be an incentive to us to adhere to the commands of Christ, and not to be governed by our own feelings at all.
Rem “Ye are my friends if ye practise whatever I command you” John 15:14.
JT Exactly.
Rem Every one who would be added to this system would be tested like Ittai. Ittai answers to the test.
JT He represents, as was said, the affection side. It is divinely ordered that we should be tested. In what spirit are you going forth? “Why dost thou also go with us?” (verse 19) that is the challenge.
Rem Just like Ruth, “Do not intreat me to leave thee”, Ruth 1:16.
[p. 21] Rem These Gittites came from Gath. They are rescued from the enemy’s stronghold.
JT Yes; a remarkable picture of us all. Ittai had no claim; we have no natural claim on Christ. It was grace that met Ittai. And then we read, “And Ittai ... passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him”. He is like a prince, that is, a spiritual man who influences others; it says, “and all his men”. And then “the little ones” also go with him.
Rem What underlies such an action is love for the Lord and His people.
JT That is right. Everyone is challenged. It is not that it is Ittai alone, he just represents a feature of the position.
Rem Such a man could be trusted.
JT David entrusted him with an army later; chapter 18:2.
Rem He really baptised his household.
JT That is right; but he took all over — more than his little ones, “all his men” — he had influence with others, with full-grown men. It is quite right in regard to our households, but how much influence have we with other people? Every one of us has influence, either for good or evil. Ittai had influence for good.
It says further, “And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over; the king also himself passed over the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness” verse 23. The movement is against nature, for there is nothing in the wilderness for nature; it is a striking picture. What you see is the working of the Spirit of God in a crisis. The whole movement is against nature, being marked by deep feelings — weeping.
Ques Is that why the Lord allows tests [p. 22] sometimes?
JT I think the evidence of the work of God at any time is passing over the brook and weeping; there is no prospect before you; it is the wilderness. First it is “the remote house”; that is to say, you are cutting yourself off from what you have been going on with. And then there is the wilderness; there is nothing for the flesh.
Rem They had David’s company.
JT Yes. “The king also himself passed over”. It is remarkable, he did not pass over first.
Ques Would this represent the night of the Lord’s betrayal?
JT It is more the awakening to the sense of the position which resulted from that, or what corresponds with it in the history of the church.
Ques Is the passing over the brook, what our brother calls baptism?
JT Yes, I think so. There is a spiritual influence at work; they are all passing over under spiritual influence.
Rem I suppose nothing short of that will do for the present day.
JT In the crisis every one is prepared to do what he can to support what is of God. As weeping, we feel the state of things; God values right sensibilities as to the state of things existing.
Ques In John 12 the Lord speaks of hating our life in this world, and keeping it unto life eternal. I wonder if Ittai would illustrate that. Is it eternal life?
JT Eternal life is in view there; but here it is not the side of blessing that is in view, but hardship. They are facing the wilderness. What I see is that it is a great spiritual movement; they all come under it, they are all moving in the same direction. There is nothing for the flesh.
Ques Would this at all correspond to going forth to Him without [p. 23] the camp?
JT I think it does. It says the king passed over, and then in verse 30, “But David went up by the ascent of the Olives, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up”. Now we are on the ascent; the allusion is no doubt to the power of the Spirit, and that involves a moral elevation. They wept as they went up, it is very becoming. I think it is a great thing to understand the ascent here. If I am to be in the midst of the public apostate body, I must understand moral elevation. So that I think this section is of immense importance.
Rem You would accept the position in going into the wilderness. It is a great test to us.
JT Then we have the bare feet, and everyone’s head covered. You are not now like the men in Absalom’s world. He was a very beautiful man; a very fine looking man with a wonderful head product. There was no one like him in regard to the product of his head, mental ability. But here they are covering their heads; they are making room for the headship of Christ. But their bare feet are on the ground. They are owning their true state. Bare feet and covered heads make room for the Spirit’s operations, and the headship of Christ, and that, I think, is what has marked the history of the recovery. Room has been made for Christ as Head.
Rem So that it depends upon what man you have before you.
JT Yes.
Rem Speaking of the head, one thinks of the sin offering. The head of the bullock, and the skin and flesh were to be burned outside the camp; it was hot on the altar. It is a fine word in regard to man’s mental ability!
JT The next thing is, “And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators”. This was a serious matter. Even David himself recognised Ahithophel’s wisdom. Such a man with the conspirators was no small matter; how were they going to meet it? God had to deal with it, and He did, for we read in chapter 17:23 that Ahithophel hanged himself.
Rem As the hidden wisdom, none of the princes of this world knew it, “for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory”, 1 Corinthians 2:8.
JT I think that is what we shall see in the following chapters. It begins with prayer. David said, “Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness”, verse 31. But we have further added here, “And it came to pass, when David had come to the summit ... he worshipped God” — at the summit. In the recovery God must have His part. He will act for David in answer to his prayer, and you reach the summit of moral elevation, you worship God. What a portion that is for God in such circumstances!
Ques Did you say just now that this was connected with the headship of Christ?
JT I think room is made for it in the covering of the heads.
Rem That is no doubt why David is spoken of as “David”, not as ‘King David’.
JT That is good. The combination against the people of God a hundred years ago was terrible. All the wisdom of the public body (which in a way was originally from the Holy Spirit, but had now passed into man’s hand) was against them, and they resorted to prayer. I believe they reached the ‘summit;’ that is, the heavenly position.
Rem It is a great thing, speaking of David’s weakness, that he reached God here.
JT [p. 25] That is what I was thinking. He had wonderful hidden resources. I think God allows things to happen, both locally as well as generally, among the saints, to bring us to our senses, and in that way to call forth what is of God. We begin to judge the flesh, and that makes room for God. Now David is awakening, and what is of God comes into evidence.
Rem So that, as God’s government is accepted, He is free to come in for the saints.
JT I think He allows things to happen amongst us, so as to bring in what is of Himself. We are brought to our senses. The Lord knows what is there as Peter said, “Thou knowest all things”, John 21:17.
Ques Do you suggest that it is only at the summit there is worship?
JT That is how it stands. The summit is the height of moral elevation in the Spirit.
Rem And in connection with that there is prayer, showing that from the summit standpoint there is great dependence on God.
JT It is not to be different from this now; the whole result depends on the maintenance of these features, humility, bare feet, walking softly and weeping — all these features should mark a remnant.
Rem That is what you would look for where Christ is known as Head; these qualities would come out among His people.
JT Quite so; all that goes alongside the going up — weeping and so on.
Rem I was thinking that, at one of the darkest moments in the Lord’s pathway, He could say, “I praise thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that thou hast hid these things from wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes”, Luke 10:21.
JT Just so; a very appropriate [p. 26] scripture.
Rem You spoke about moral distance — the remote house.
JT I think the position remains the same. You cannot go outside the profession; we do not go outside of that, but there is moral distance.
Ques Would it be the position suitable in Laodicea?
JT The Lord is outside morally. He is standing at the door and knocking in grace, and will go in to any one who opens to Him.
Rem David had regard for the city, he did not want to destroy it.
JT That is right. Sending back the ark corresponds to the believer’s recognition of Christ’s universal rights now. The Lord knoweth those that are His, and every one who is faithful to Him regards all the saints. Anything short of this is sectarian.