MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO THE LORD JESUS

1 Chronicles 4:9,10; 12:1-2, 8,15-18 (to ‘helps thee’),

23,24,38-40; 11:15-19

There are two thoughts brought out in these scriptures, beloved brethren. The first one is our individual links with the Lord as typified in Jabez; something that is very much needed in our lives. We are not to be just church goers or congregationalists; we should be persons who each have a vital and living link with the Lord Himself, as Jabez had with Jehovah. The other scriptures bring out the importance of saints moving together and dwelling together. Someone referred in the reading to brethren dwelling “together in unity! ... for there hath Jehovah commanded the blessing”, Ps.133:1,3. There is movement connected with these three places – Ziklag, the stronghold in the wilderness, and the position at Hebron. They speak of how we learn to move and live with one another collectively as giving Christ His rightful place. It is important that we learn to move, and move together, with one object, with one desire, and that is to give David, the Lord Jesus typically, His rightful place. Then I read the closing verses about these three mighty men because we are living in broken days when the working out of the truth may come down to the twos and threes. Nevertheless even in small conditions, the Lord is making known what He desires. David said, “Oh that one would give me to drink …”. We are just a few hours away from the Lord’s supper and the service of praise, and we shall gather together because He has loved us and we love Him. We gather because we have been near to Him, we gather because we know His longings. Divine Persons have longings and they delight to be praised and adored. These things are very important.

I started with Jabez; it says that he “was more honoured than his brethren; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with pain”. The testimony has continued through pain and suffering. It was so in the path of the Lord Jesus; we sometimes begin the Lord’s day by singing about His pathway:

‘All along that suff’ring way’ (Hymn 30).

And it is the way in which, at the present time, the testimony prospers and goes through. It is the suffering way which forms a living response, a vital response, because persons are in the testimony rightly. Some of our hymns dwell on the personal side, the individual side, like Hymn 228:-

‘All through this desert dry

My path His footsteps trace,

And He doth all my need supply

In this sad, empty place’.

Then Hymn 51 says:-

‘O Lord, Thy love’s unbounded,

So sweet, so full, so free;

and

‘And yet Thy love’s unchanging,

And doth recall my heart’.

These are individual hymns in the hymn book, and the individual side of our history expressed in these hymns is very important. Someone referred in the reading to how Daniel knelt on his knees three times a day (Dan.6:10). He knew the needs of the testimony and he was diligent in getting to God about them. God answers our prayers according to His will. Sometimes He answers immediately, as happened here, while sometimes it may take a long time, but He hears them and He answers them. And so it says, “Jabez called on the God of Israel”. He was an individual, but he did not only have an individual outlook. He had a collective outlook; the whole of Israel was in his mind and that is important, beloved brethren. In our individual prayers, we may sometimes become occupied with ourselves and our circumstances, but when we think in principle of the God of Israel, we can think of the whole scope of the testimony of God.

The second scripture refers to the tribes of Israel, and it is important to have a wide outlook in our prayers. We need to pray. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “pray unceasingly”, 1 Thess.5:17. To pray unceasingly involves that whatever we are going to do, we pray about it. We start the day with prayer. When you are going to work or school – start the day with prayer. Commit your way to God and He will bless you, He will preserve you. The power of prayer is amazing. As we go through this scene that has rejected Christ, we move in prayer to God and we are preserved from the world of evil. In John 17, the Lord in His intimate prayer to the Father says, “I do not demand that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them out of evil” (v.15). How much pressure He suffered from the Jews. His testimony was rejected by them, His words were rejected by them, and the Lord would have had that in mind in His prayer, that the disciples might be kept from the evil that abounds in the world.

So Jabez went on to say, “Oh that thou wouldest richly bless me, and enlarge my border”. Real individual prayers result in expansion. You begin to think of the saints locally, then the saints universally – you enlarge your borders. The Holy Spirit in Romans 5 is given to that end, to shed abroad God’s love in our hearts (v.5), to shed it abroad so that our outlook is broadened and our love for all the saints is deepened. “Oh that thou wouldest richly bless me, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God brought about what he had requested”. I read that to emphasise the importance of our individual links with God. They are very important, day after day. Do not miss out a day; turn to God every day. Sometimes we may forget, or be tired by the end of the day, but at least get on our knees. Daniel knelt on his knees three times a day, and his outlook was not limited to his circumstances, or by the circumstances in which God’s people of Israel were. He looked towards Jerusalem; that was in principle being assembly minded. His heart was looking towards the house of God and all that was in it for God’s pleasure.

In Chronicles, we have these three situations. Ziklag might represent Romans, then the stronghold in the wilderness might speak of Corinthians, and finally Hebron, and the movements to make David king, which might represent Colossians. Every movement is to make David king. David was not yet on the throne at this time, but the movement of the people is all to that end. David would come to the throne, and he would reign supreme.

It says that they “came to David to Ziklag”; he was the centre. Ziklag is like the teaching of the epistle to the Romans, by which the light of God’s glad tidings comes into your heart and into your soul. The only armour in Romans is the armour of light. Paul writes, “let us put on the armour of light … But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not take forethought for the flesh to fulfil its lusts”, Rom.13:12,14. The armour of light is contrasted with the darkness, and the distance that men in the world are from God. It is an important armour to put on in the presence of darkness and of the rejection of Christ . These are wonderful matters and they are all presented in the epistle to the Romans. There are certain things to be put off and certain things to be put on, and it is wonderful when the light of God, the light of His glad tidings, comes into our souls. The epistle to the Romans is foundational, and it finishes with the assembly in Rome, which is the result of the preaching. Not only are men saved but they come into the knowledge of the truth. It is the truth as to the knowledge of God, the truth as to His house, which the assembly is, “the pillar and base of the truth”, 1 Tim.3:15.

In Romans, we get these great matters of redemption and reconciliation, wonderful matters that are a glorious part of the gospel. We are justified freely by God in His grace (Rom.3:24), we are justified in a risen and glorious Man. All our blessings are in a risen and glorious Man. Salvation was effected at the cross, through the death and the shedding of the precious blood of Jesus. These are the basic features of the gospel, and salvation is in none other. We had a young brother preaching recently, and he spoke about the Lord Jesus; “Behold thy King cometh to thee, meek, and mounted upon an ass”, (Matt.21:5), and how He has salvation. That is true: there is no salvation anywhere else or in anyone else but in the Lord Jesus Christ. We need the blood for the forgiveness of our sins, and we are reconciled to God. How are we reconciled? We are reconciled to God through the death of His Son (Rom.5:10). Romans makes much of the death of Christ, the pouring out of His precious blood so that we are brought into right relations with God. Reconciliation is needed where distance had come in because of sin, but now there can be nearness; we are reconciled to God through the death of His Son, the One in whom God had great pleasure. That was His Son, and we are reconciled.

So as we in principle come to David to Ziklag, we are established in our souls in these precious truths that come out in Romans. It says that these men who came to David were armed for the conflict. It is needful to understand that the testimony will involve conflict right to the end. Someone referred to the man in John 9. He had conflict right from the outset. The Jews were against him and his parents had no sympathy for him. We have to put on the armour of light. It says that these men were armed with bows, “using both the right hand and the left”; they were balanced persons. Then, “and with arrows on the bow; they were of Saul’s brethren”. In a sense, they were able to overcome despite being of Saul’s brethren.

Then the Gadites separated themselves to David in the stronghold. That is really the point of the principle of separation; it is not just what we are separated from, but it is also Who we are separated to. To go back to Romans again, Paul was separated to “God’s glad tidings .... concerning his Son” (Rom 1:1), and here these men were separated “to David”. Separation is a basis of unity amongst God’s people, separation from what is evil, what is not of God. In Corinthians, Paul writes about “the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor.1:9), and “the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death”, Phil.3:10. There is what is excluded in the thought of fellowship, what has been set aside in the death of Christ. And so they “separated themselves to David in the stronghold .... mighty men of valour, men fit for the service of war, armed with shield and spear”. The shield is needed: for us it would be the shield of faith, because we have to protect ourselves. You can use bows and arrows, you can use the sword, but you need the shield so that you are protected as you go through this scene. The shield is for our protection and for our help.

It says of the Gadites, “These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it overflows all its banks”. That means something for us. The Jordan means that I go down – Naaman was not prepared to go down (2 Kings 5). We are sometimes not prepared to obey God and His word, we do not want to go down. But the sons of Gad went over Jordan “when it overflows all its banks, and they put to flight all them of the valleys, toward the east and toward the west”. Beloved brethren, there will be conflict all the way, but it is because we are separated to David, to the Lord Jesus. He is the Centre.

Then the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold, and David went out to meet them and asked them, How do you come? Do you come peaceably to help me? He said that if so, his heart would “be knit unto you; but if to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers see it and rebuke it. And the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the captains, and he said:

“ Thine are we, David,

And with thee, thou son of Jesse”.

Well, that was a fine result. The Spirit sheds abroad in our hearts the love of God (Rom.5:5). The Spirit came upon Amasai; the footnote says he was ‘clothed’¹ with the Spirit and he was able to answer, “Thine are we, David”. That tests all of us, it tests every believer. What place does the Lord Jesus have in our minds and in our affections? Do we desire to be faithful to Him in this scene? Someone referred to Lydia; she said, “If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there”, Acts 16:15. That was true faithfulness. We have to credit one another with being faithful to the Lord in the scene of His rejection. David tried these men; he said, “If ye come peaceably .... my heart shall be knit unto you”. Amasai also said:

“Peace, peace be to thee!

And peace be to thy helpers!

For thy God helps thee”.

Christianity is a system of help. There were persons who helped David in the conflict, and now here are more: “peace be to thy helpers!”. Have you ever found help? The psalmist says, “God is our refuge and strength, a help in distresses, very readily found”, Ps 46:1. You might have trials and we all have trials, you might have difficulties and who does not have their difficulties, but we have a God who can help us, a God to whom we can turn. Amasai said, “For thy God helps thee”. Have you found that God is your refuge and your help? You cannot find the right answer yourself, but if you turn to God, He has the answers: “For thy God helps thee. And David received them, and made them chiefs of bands”.

Then verse 23 speaks of “men equipped for military service, who came to David to Hebron, to transfer the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah”. They all have shields and spears, “six thousand eighth hundred, equipped for military service”. What a scene that was. Here was this company of persons coming “according to the word of Jehovah”. It is fine when we move in that way, according to what God says. The word of God is true and living, it is searching and testing, and we can depend without any doubt on the word of God. Hebron might represent the teaching of the epistle to the Colossians. In Colossians, it is the greatness of the Person and who the Lord Jesus is that impresses your heart. Romans brings out the greatness of His work, the greatness of His moral character and being, for by one Man “the many will be constituted righteous” (Rom.5:19); that refers to the Lord’s moral glory. But when in type you come to Hebron, you come to Colossians 1, where He is personally great. The apostle rejoiced to make everything of the Lord because of His greatness. He calls Him, “firstborn from among the dead” (v.18), and “firstborn of all creation” (v.15). Think of the One in whom “all the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell” (v.19). How much is in this blessed Person. He is worthy of your heart being attached to Him. Do not attach your heart to a mere religion, to anything here that is of man; attach your heart to Christ, attach your heart to His personal greatness, and an overwhelming result will be yours. In Colossians, there is also the need for prayer to be maintained (Col.1:9). I did not read it, but you find a prince of Aaron “and with him were three thousand seven hundred; and Zadok, a valiant young man, and his father’s house two and twenty chief men”, 1 Chron.12:27,28. You get persons named, but not many. Paul mentions Epaphras, and I think he would stand in line with what we were saying in the reading; he prayed that the saints might “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God”, Col.4:12.

So in this chapter, the momentum is growing. First you get individuals coming to David at Ziklag – Romans speaking of the individual side of the truth – then more come to David to Hebron, and the momentum is growing. The tribes of Israel came in verse 38, and they all came in relation to David. It says, “All of them men of war, keeping rank in battle array, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king”. Christ alone is worthy to be the object of our hearts. We sometimes sing;

‘Be Thou the object bright and fair

To fill and satisfy the heart’. (Hymn 328)

Christ’s personal glories and His personal greatness can satisfy your heart.

It was a great scene here with all the tribes gathering, and their object was the same; it was to make David king over all Israel. “And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brethren had prepared for them; and those too that were near them, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen; provisions of meal, fig-cakes …”. They came with all this provision of food and there was nothing lacking; there was enough, an abundance of food. You find that, as the Lord is our Object, there is an abundance. He says, “I am come that they might have life …”. Have it in scarcity? No, “have it abundantly”, John 10:10. That is what it was here. The men of Israel in their minds and their affections all came to David. This scene is one of happiness, it is one of blessing; “for there was joy in Israel”. That is what we experience when we come together in three-day meetings, in larger gatherings, as well as in our local gatherings. There was joy in Israel because they had one object, one thing in mind. There was food, there was life, there was joy; “for there was joy in Israel”.

The three chiefs in chapter 11 were in this situation where they heard David’s longings. How would you hear someone’s longings? You have to be near them to hear them. That is Christianity. You can be near the Lord, I can be near the Lord, and the result is that, if we are in nearness to Him, we will know His heart, we will know His mind. John was in His bosom, leaning on His breast (John 13:23,25). John’s affections were maintained in warmth for the Lord Jesus, and as leaning on His breast, you get all the support that you need. Let us encourage one another: if you want support in the testimony, you can have it in Christ. What a support He is. Everything we need is found in Christ, in His support. If we are seeking to do His will, if we are seeking to be here for Him, He will help us. Like John the apostle, He will give us all the support that we need.

So David’s longings were for refreshment. He longed and said “Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate! And the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem”. These three men did not do any damage in answering to the Lord’s longings; they broke through, but they did not do any damage. It is a great thing when we can break through what is natural, or anything that might hinder the flow of praise to God. They “broke through the camp of the Philistines”. The Philistine mind would restrict and limit what is for the Lord Jesus, but when we are moving in relation to the true David, we will be able to draw water out of the well with a view to the Lord’s satisfaction. It says, “David however would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah”. I like that. It shows the Lord’s appreciation of your part in the service of God. We do not pray in the service of God because we have no need to, but the Lord has a need for response, and as we are moved in praise and adoration, the Lord appreciates that. The Lord appreciates your sacrifice of praise. David did not drink of it but “he poured it out”; what unselfish love we find in the Lord Jesus. It says, “for at the risk of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men”. This is our privilege every first day of the week. Every Lord’s day, it is our privilege to bring our sacrifice of praise. At the end of Chronicles, David says, “And who is willing to offer to Jehovah this day?”, 1 Chron.29:5. Are you willing, willing-hearted, to offer praise to the Lord? He values it and He pours it out. He is the minister of the holy places (Heb.8:2); He will take what we have and minister it for the pleasure of God.

These are the thoughts that I had in mind. But we must maintain our individual links, day by day. Ask yourself each evening – have I been on my knees today? The needs of the testimony are great, and it requires us to be on our knees. Let us commit ourselves to do that. If we have not been praying, let us start to pray, let us start to commit ourselves to the Lord according to His will and for His testimony, for He appreciates that. May it be so for His name’s sake.

Address at Edinburgh

22 September 2018

E.J. Mair

Edited and Published by John Brown and Paul Martin

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