EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
I rose to speak of experience. Our brother who has just prayed said to the Lord that He was always ready to be with us — and He is. We can speak experimentally of this. One can say truthfully that he hardly recalls the time in which he has been with the brethren, as we are now, when he has not proved the Lord with us. This is a matter of experience, and experience is one of the elements of guidance. Only this very day, speaking with brethren at the house of our brother near by here, certain questions arose as to procedure in assembly service, and it occurred to me that experience helps us in regard to assembly service. There are certain methods and forms that are prescribed, others are left, but, according to the principles of Matthew, the Lord saying, “Behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age” (Matthew 28: 20) is honouring the assembly, as if He had confidence in her and assures her that He is with her. He is with us, even saying “Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them”; (Matthew 18: 20) then again, “If two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them …” (Matthew 18: 19). And so, much is left to us, within certain latitudes or limits, for the Lord loves to think of us and to look on us as moving according to what He has made us, according to the instincts He has given us, and, of course, according to His teaching and the examples He has set. And all this involves experience, which affords guidance to a point as to methods amongst us, experience enabling us to prove what may be the best; and I have selected this chapter in Ezekiel, well known to us, but read now in view of what has been remarked. Ezekiel treats,
[p. 2] among other things, of life and he affords us an example of an experience of life. The thought of life is full in Ezekiel, which could be shown from the pages of the prophet, and it reminds is of what the Lord said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly”, (John 10:10). Hence the great advantage of experiencing life and proving how abundantly it is.
So I have read this chapter because it affords an experience of life, what is said of the river indicates that wherever it moves it brings life, and another thing about it is that, as the prophet has experience in the river, indicating whence it comes and the way by which it flows and the point to which it flows, he shows that it affords life, and instead of one river it becomes a double one, as verse 9 tells us, showing that, as we move on in experience in what is afforded to us through the death and resurrection and ascension of Christ — that is to say, what is in Christianity, we prove that, as the Lord says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly” (John 10: 10). So that we need not fear, dear brethren. Much has happened that might cause us to fear, but from the positive side there I nothing to fear. We shall always come out victorious, but increasingly so. Hence in these verses the prophet, as most of us here know, had experience first of the river covering his ankles. It is a question of experience, and experience implying certain parts of the body which are intended to be active, to afford activity, as in the book of Acts the man at the gate of the temple his has ankle bones affected, so that he walked and he leaped and he praised God. That involved, not only his ankles, but his knees — indeed his whole body. The human body is made in that sense to be used. But the ankles are noted here in the experience in the river. It says, “And he brought me out by the way of the gate northward” (Ezekiel 47: 2). If we are conversant with the significance of the points of the compass, this would suggest to us what is severe; it becomes known, the north wind and the effect of it, and then it is said, “When the man went forth eastward, a line was in his hand; and he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters: the waters were to the ankles. And he measured a thousand cubits, and caused me to pass through the waters: the waters were to the knees” (Ezekiel 47: 3 - 4).
One might speak much of these points, but one only desires to be concise and brief, as we should be at these meetings, affording something, even if it is but one point brought home to us. And so knees surely points to severe exercise, especially in regard of prayer, as we see with Elijah — he put his face between his knees, and we know the result, how the cloud was seen rising like a man’s hand. I am only just referring to this one point. “For this reason”, says Paul, “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3: 14). That is a second experience — the ankles first, and then the knees, the second. And then again afterwards “he measured a thousand and caused me to pass through: the waters were to the lions”. We may, in speaking thus, refer to anatomy — of which one knows but little, but there is such a thing as spiritual anatomy, and so the Lord Jesus, speaking reverently, says, “A body hast thou prepared me” (Hebrews 10: 5), and again we read, “Many bodies of the saints fallen asleep arose, and going out of the tombs after his arising, entered into the holy city and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27: 52). We can see the importance of our bodies, and the Lord is going to bring us up out of our graves in bodies, and not only bodies in an ordinary sense, but bodies like unto His glorious body, His body of glory. One feels affected in speaking thus, dear brethren, because it reminds us [p. 4] of what is coming, and the portion of the saints in our high places and walking in our high places then and even now in a spiritual sense. And then too — something that has now been before us already lately — the Lord appearing to certain ones. It would be Himself, just Himself, but in His body. Then it is said further, “And he measured a thousand: it was a river that I could not pass through” (Ezekiel 47: 5). Thus we learn what is beyond us by experience, and we do well to be governed by the sense of limitation that we cannot just speak of everything as if it were common; there is such a thing as mystery, which we should learn and be subject to and say we do not know at times, and not venture to explain everything. Here the waters were risen — and they are apt to rise in the principle of which it is spoken of here. And I think they are rising — to be very simple — and it would be wholesome if we learnt that we are limited by the rise and that we cannot compass things, that we have to bow and regard everything reverently, and yet be in the sense of liberty, not overcome. But we find here the prophet says, “It was a river that I could not pass through” (Ezekiel 47: 5) — not “that could not be passed through”, but that “I could not pass through”. That would indicate the limitations of the creature. And so he goes on, “For the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through”. That spells limitation, not only for Ezekiel, but for all, for every creature — it could not be passed over. Well, it is well to have an experience like that, finding out that you cannot pass over, that you are limited, that others are going through, and that we do well to learn our limitations. Hence the apostle in Ephesians speaks of the breadth and the length and the depth and the height. All that speaks of limitation, but what blessed limitation, and we have the addition “and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3: 19) — which cannot be passed through. I do not refer to it in this way as if it is presented just as I am saying, but it is really implied that the love of Christ is known — “to know the love of the Christ” — that is within the range of a Christian, of all of us, and how much it is needed — to know the love of Christ. John says, “Hereby we have known love because he has laid down his life for us”, (1 John 3:16); but then it is the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. It is an experience and an experience that one would urge on all and on oneself, the idea of knowing the love of Christ. The brethren from the beginning of Christianity have known the love of Christ. Paul could say, “Who has loved me …” (Galatians 2: 20). I do not know that anyone else says just that, but he says it — He “loved me”, not that He ‘loves me’, but He “loved me”. Of course it implies that He loves me, but the point is what is historical, that experience had been in Christianity from the outset; Peter could say it no doubt, but Paul says it. “Waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through”.
Then I just wish to touch on another thing, which I think is important for us on this point of experience. Brothers and sisters may learn, or have it before them to learn, by experience. It is in the limits of guidance; you know so-and-so because you have experience. Of course you may say, ‘I have proved it and I know scripture teaches it’, but then there are things that are not formally taught, and so the need of experience as one said, “I have been young” — he had that experience — “and now am old!;” he did not speak of middle age, he spoke of old age; and he had not seen certain things, and that fact was a guide to him. That is what I am speaking about. So here in verse 6 someone is saying something to Ezekiel — which is another point that is to be expected and looked for and found as we look for it — that is someone who [p. 6] says something. He says it of himself, and he is not asked; one who say things because it is important they should be said — as we might say, a word from the Lord, but it is rather that this man was saying it. “He said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this?” (Ezekiel 47: 6). Another thing is that “Son of man” is a remarkable expression. We have already together here spoken of man, what a place man has with God, and how Wisdom — which is another suggestion — says “My delights were with the sons of men” (Proverbs 8: 31). There is something very beautiful in that suggestion — the “sons of men”; sons, but sons of men. Angels are called sons of God, I suppose in a provisional sense — “all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). But Wisdom does not say her delights were with the sons of God, the angels, but with the sons of men, and it brings out a point of importance as to what is lovely, what is peculiarly attractive in a youthful sense; life as it were, at its prime, in its beauty. As the Lord says, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these”, (Matthew 6: 28 - 29). It is a question of what life is and the youthfulness of life, and, as applied to life in a spiritual sense, of which I am speaking, it is most attractive, and the sons of men would be a suggestion of what life is as Wisdom saw it. And so I touched on verse 6 — “Son of man” — not ‘son of men’. It is a term found in Ezekiel many times; much used by the Lord as to Himself. But “sons of men” is a beautiful expression, and I have already touched on it. But here it is, “Son of man, hast thou seen this”? It is a question of experience — had he seen it? He had seen much up to this point. And it says, “And he led me, and brought me back to the bank of the river”. That is, you have had remarkable experience, but the man has more for [p. 7] you and I believe that is one point in our meetings, dear brethren, how much there may be yet, how much is possible. And so here, “he led me and brought me back to the bank of the river”. It is a great matter in scripture to be led: there is a great need for it too. It says, “And he led me and brought me back to the bank of the river. When I returned, behold on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other”. Now this is the point, as many of us perhaps have noticed; he had not seen this when he saw the river first. He had gone through the river and he speaks of it being impassable, but he saw nothing of the trees; reminding us of the importance of waiting in the divine realm — how much there is to be seen, even surprises! In fact you might say this was one of them. So it says, “When I returned, behold on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other”. Why did he not see them before? He is not reproved; he reproves himself by implication, as if he were to enlarge on what is in mind. He could tell us about the depth of the water, to the ankles and the knees and the loins, and the impassableness of the river, but not a word about the trees. If the river is the Spirit, the trees are the brethren; that is simple — I am not forcing the passage. We may talk much of the Spirit, and we should, but do not forget the brethren. If they come into view in this sense of surprise, how beautiful they are! We ought to learn the beauty of the brethren — “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us”. The beauty of the Lord, but set upon us, in the sense of what can be on man — put on man, put on the brethren. Well, he said he returned, meaning that the point is the returning, the coming back to a thing; not being sure that everything is exhausted or looked into or thoroughly known. It is hard to say much about anyone who knows much, except Paul as a teacher he says, “Ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery” (Ephesians 3: 4) as though the Lord put him forward as an ideal of acquiring knowledge, and if Paul, why not others? He says, “I returned”, and “behold on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other” — on both sides. No doubt John had this in mind in his book of the Revelation. I believe he had read it and that the Lord intended him to know something of the book of Ezekiel and of course we can get enlargement on the subject by reading the book of the Revelation. “And he said unto me, These waters issue out toward the east district, and go down into the plain, and go into the sea; when they are brought forth into the sea, the waters thereof shall be healed” (Ezekiel 47: 8). That is what I am coming to, the power of the life in the sense of healing — how much that is needed; how much laceration, dear brethren, has come about with us and what need for healing! — “Rather it may be healed”. And there is the power for that in life; the Spirit is life and the saints become living too. But it is a question of the river here and the trees are on both sides of the river, unseen at first but now seen. “And it shall come to pass that every living thing which moveth, whithersoever the double river shall come, shall live” — the double river, that is, it is a plural idea now. It is a question of the things that live already that are in mind now, the increase of life, life more abundantly. So that there is abundance as we come on in the truth and get to know one another, finding our home in the assembly. The Lord will be with us, as our brother said in his prayer, according to Matthew. Matthew gives us no account of the ascension, he is an assembly man and he is stressing the fact that the Lord is here to support us in it; not to take charge of it exactly, but to support us in it. “There am I …” — not because of what He does — of course He does [p. 9] things — but He is there, and that is the thing to have before us. The Lord is greatly enlarging special meetings, as we call them, and it is a sign of the moment, it is a sign of life that the brethren like to be together. The thing is increasing. The devil is, of course, against it; but there it is, there is the increase, the word “double” implies that, the increase, what there is. Hence it says, “And it shall come to pass that every living thing which moveth, whithersoever the double river shall come, shall live. And there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters shall come thither, and the waters of the sea shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh” (Ezekiel 47: 9). There is the idea of living and moving, but now there is something additional — there is life in abundance, a very great multitude of fish, that is, living things; John could speak of them one hundred and fifty-three great fishes. That is, the fish are there on account of this, for the waters shall be healed whithersoever the double river cometh.
So I thought I would call attention to this in view of experience that, dear brethren, we might be experimental in things and find guidance in experience and prove what comes about under certain conditions, and do not have to ask so many questions. Hence the point is to get the conditions, then we know what comes about, it is sure to happen. We are urged to come together, to assemble ourselves, but there are needed conditions; hence the point is to bring these conditions about.
J.T.