JEALOUSY

J.Mitchell

Numbers 25: 6-13; Song of Songs 8: 6, 7; 2 Corinthians 11: 1-3

It is in mind to say a word as to jealousy. I hope that one will be helped to convey some deepened impression of the love of Christ for us, and indeed of the love of God for us. Jealousy is the result of love, and in two of the passages the jealousy of God is seen representatively in persons; that is, it is not direct but is seen in two men, Phinehas and Paul. While the Song of Songs relates to Solomon and the loved one, it is a reference to Christ and the assembly, and jealousy in that passage is a reference to the direct jealousy of Christ for His assembly. I believe these are things of which we need a deepened understanding, and to allow them to work in our souls and our affections, so that there may be in us responsive jealousy to the love of Christ and the love of God. It is a great thing that God should have persons here who are jealous with His jealousy. It involves a certain fervency on their part. What marked the church at Sardis was lethargy and the church at Laodicea is satisfied outside of Christ. There was no jealousy in either of these churches in the way that I am speaking of it. One would be careful in saying that because we must take account of what there was at the beginning of the period that is represented by Sardis in the way of devotedness and jealousy for the truth; but the Lord refers in His address to that assembly to what it had become. As is often the case it had a good start, but in the passage of time things are inclined to degenerate; and therefore the need of patience with every one of us, as seen in Philadelphia: "Thou hast kept the word of my patience", Rev 3: 10. That is that things are not degenerating by time, as day follows day, and days go into weeks, and weeks into months, and months years; the same consistency of jealous love is seen in the personnel of that assembly. That is one of the things that is involved in that expression, "Thou hast kept the word of my patience" and it is always an exercising thing. Shortly after the 1970 division someone said to me that he was afraid that brethren might weary of the small numbers and turn to other things, and I believe that did happen; but the possibility is always with us as we go on in the trying circumstances in which we are. Some circumstances are more trying than others, and we are not immune from things that generally lie upon men. The apostle Paul speaks very feelingly of Epaphroditus who was "sick close to death" (see Phil 2: 25-30) and also of another, Trophimus, whom he had to leave behind at Miletus sick (see 2 Tim 4: 20). These things seem to be all the more testing in the circle of those who are devoted to the truth. What is called for is patiently going on with the truth, working out righteousness day by day and considering for God in every circumstance, whether in the testimony or individually and in our households, in our localities, or universally, because priesthood - and that involves the jealousy of love - is a universal matter. At a critical time in the north of Scotland, when things seemed so difficult, Mr Taylor sen said, You do what is right. That is the responsibility of everyone; no matter what anyone else does, you do what is right. That is a word for us at the present time. I need hardly say that when we speak of what is right we mean what is right in the sight of God, not what is right according to man's judgment, or to my estimate or anyone else's. Christ is the One who has fully set out things for us. Think of where He now is for God's pleasure and of every feature of righteousness seen in Him! He said at the beginning of His public service: "Suffer it now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness", Matt 3: 15. That is said in the assembly gospel and is in view of our taking on this character of righteousness and working it out in the circumstances in which we are.

In Numbers there is a crisis in the history of the children of Israel at the end of the wilderness journey. Their position here was rather like that of Romans 8. That is, they are in the plains of Moab but looking over the Jordan to the land. The purpose of God, sonship, is in view: "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Rom 8: 14), and victory is in view. With the children of Israel there is a little stoppage in the work of God proceeding in them and it is not until the source of that is dealt with in righteousness, and in the exercise of the jealousy of God, that they go forward. Prior to this they were given the Spirit typically and we are thus a company of persons who have been ennobled. That is what we have in Romans 8: noble persons. What God thinks of them! As the enemy comes up to attack in the first place, God Himself takes on the issue. The matter of Balaam proceeds entirely outside the cognisance of the children of Israel; God was for them and who could be against them? Then there is a systematised teaching of worldliness among the people and this is met, not by God Himself directly but mediately through men. When that state of things exists among the people of God He meets it through men and women who are prepared to be faithful to the truth. O, dear brethren, we need to see what God is proceeding in at the present time, what He has for Himself in the testimony and what is the end in view. Then we also need to see what the enemy is at, to have our senses exercised to discern good and evil (see Heb 5: 14) and not to label evil 'good' or good 'evil'. We need to be priestly persons who are able to discern and have a right judgment; and not only to have a judgment of things but to be persons in whom the exercise of the jealousy of God can be seen so that things are dealt with; and as it says here, "the plague was stayed".

One of the things that Balaam is forced to say of Israel is that she "shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations", Num 23: 9. That is an important matter to re-emphasise, dear brethren. What has happened in the testimony, where we have had to separate from so many of our brethren, only calls out greater emphasis on separation. Separation is nothing new. It is in Paul's doctrine before the days of breakdown: "Come out rom the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord", 2 Cor 6: 17. Paul says that when the assembly of God in Corinth was intact. In days of assembly breakdown, as in 2 Timothy, there is greater emphasis on it; and in our own day, when there has been so much devastation and so much unfaithfulness where the truth has been ministered, the emphasis is even greater still. Because persons are externally near to us it does not mean that separation is any less real. The nearer persons are to the light, the greater the defection, and therefore the greater need for separation. Let us remember that. Let our dear young brethren remember that. Let us remember that there was a critical period in our histories when the rights of Christ were at stake and when certain persons were callous in regard to them. We need to have a right judgment of these things and keep ourselves clear of such defection; and too to keep clear of the persons, because principles and persons go together. Therefore there is a need to re-emphasise the need for separation from iniquity. Balaam failed to curse God's people but he succeeded in teaching the Moabites to cast a snare before them and to corrupt them into socialising with that which would undoubtedly hinder their entrance into the purpose of God. Let us make no mistake about that! What God is moving towards is the saints in the full light of His purpose. What the enemy is against is just that. Mr Stoney says that the enemy does not press you to give up Christianity as such but to give up the highest thoughts of it. I believe that in these days the Spirit of God is bringing before us the highest thoughts of Christianity and is helping us in power - "Strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man" (Eph 3: 16) - so that we might realise these glorious high thoughts of God: "The calling on high of God in Christ Jesus", Phil 3: 14. But at the same time there is a power abroad to cast a snare before the saints in order that they may be hindered from going in tor what God has for them. It is a very sorrowful picture here. There is a man, a prince, who seems to have no sensitivity as to the feelings of the brethren. We need to have regard to the fellowship. If it means nothing more to you, it should at least mean this, that you have regard to the consciences of your brethren. What may seem all right to you may not be acceptable in the consciences of your brethren. This prince here seems to be absolutely unaffected by what was proceeding in the feeling of the sorrow for what had happened in the matter of Baal-Peor; He did what he did "in the sight of the whole assembly of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the entrance of the tent of meeting". Think of that, dear brethren! We need to reflect on and value the way that God has been for His people all along and, when these accusations had been made, God Himself came into the conflict. "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob", Num 23: 21; that is God's view of the saints and Balaam is forced to utter it. Let us therefore have a view of the saints that corresponds with God's view; let us value one another and be moving more in each other 's affections, and let us regard the consciences of one another. Let us value the fellowship for what it really is, not merely for what there is socially in it for us. Thank God for that, in a right sense, for the protection that there is in the fellowship of the saints. May the young people never be outside of it. There is an atmosphere here in which you will grow in the truth. But let us move forward from that and value what there is in devoted affection among the saints for the interests of Christ, and get that kind of thing into our own affections and be deepened in it and moving in the affections of one another. It says, "Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it". No doubt there were other persons who saw it but this man saw it. He "rose up"; he acts for God. What need there is for us to act for God, to act in this way to stay a plague among the people. I believe that the enemy's current activities lie in the interference with the rights of the Lord in the local assembly, coupled with the allowance of worldliness. What Phinehas sees is the element of worldliness that is there, the element of socialising with the world in its worst form, and he acts against it faithfully. We remarked that priesthood is universal. That is something that we need to understand. There has been a good deal of history, and it weakens us at times so that we get afraid to act for God in matters when action for God is required. Let us be strengthened in what is due to God and in what He has in His saints and is going to secure in an even deeper way among His people, and let us not be afraid to act for God in circumstances that need action. Not that we are to act when things do not need action; we need to discern when action is required and when it is not required. We need to discern when God Himself is working, as He does with Balaam in the prophecies, and when it needs men to work. We need to be wise as to these things, and I believe that the Lord as Head, through the Spirit, will give all the wisdom that is needed so that action is forthcoming at a time when action is needed. So this priest is given the everlasting priesthood. What a thing that is, the everlasting covenant! Think of being maintained right to the end, there being a line of faithfulness in faithful men "Such as shall be competent to instruct others also", 2 Tim 2: 2. Let us value such persons, faithful men who have stood in the truth. Let there be a coming forward of the younger men and younger women who, if the Lord leaves us here, can take the place of those who have stood in their day and who have experience in the truth. May we be encouraged as getting the gain of their experience. Lying behind this is God's love for His people. It comes out in detail in Balaam’s prophecies; God is bound up with His people. One may say, reverently and carefully, He is inseparable from His own. God has His interests here, how vast they are! but He has a peculiar interest in His saints and He is bound up with them on the earth at the present time. Particularly He is bound up with persons who are concerned to remain faithful in the truth. He will see to it that there will always be such but let us on our part understand something of the divine jealousy, divine love, as it is towards us at the present time, so that we may be reflecting it in our actions.

Now I want to speak briefly from the Song of Songs. There the lover is speaking and says, "Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm". I wonder if there are persons exercised in that way here today. No doubt there are. I wonder if there are any who are casual or indifferent, who are somewhat cold to the rights of Christ in love over them. Think of what He has given for you, dear brother, dear sister! Think of what He has given for the assembly! Here is a vessel, which is undoubtedly typical of the assembly, and which says "Set me as a seal upon thy heart". There is no question that the assembly is a seal upon the heart of Christ. In the garments of glory and adornment that were Aaron's the twelve tribes were there, set in settings of gold, "as the engravings of a seal", on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod (See Exod 28: 11,12). Then they were also on the breastplate of judgment, and every time that the high priest went into the presence of God, there in the strength of his love (and there is no love as strong as the love of Christ) he carried the saints into the presence of God. We think of Christ: "If we are unfaithful, he abides faithful", 2 Tim 2: 13. You see the stones set in the settings on the ephod there and on the breastplate. They are there in a fixed position. There is no question of any one of the stones falling off, or any of the engravings being blurred so that it is not clear what is seen there. The saints in the affections of Christ are there indelibly and in fixity. How wonderful that is! and to rest in the fixity of the love of Christ for His assembly: "Christ also loved the assembly, and has delivered himself up for it", Eph 5: 25. But this bride wanted to be conscious of it. What an exercise that is! Not only that I should understand the love of Christ but that I should be conscious of its fixity and strength and power. How restful that will make us, dear brethren, in the circumstances in which we are! Christ will unquestionably see His assembly through in this period of testimony. As we think of the shoulder of Christ and of the way that He has carried everything for God in love, He will carry the assembly through, there is no doubt about that. Let us therefore be deepened in the consciousness of the love of Christ, in the sense that He will see everything through here. Then the answer to that is that "Jealousy is cruel as Sheol". Let us be prepared for that side of things. Love will not tolerate anything that hinders its outflow. Christ will not tolerate anything that hinders the flow of affection between Himself and His assembly. In The Revelation John saw him as "girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle", chap 1: 13. It is not the desire of Christ that His love should be restrained. It is not that love was not there; it was there, but because of the conditions in the local assemblies it had to be restrained. What comes into expression in those seven letters is jealousy: "Jealousy is cruel as Sheol". When Sheol has a grip on somebody or something, it does not let go; and love is like that, it will not let go. Let us yield ourselves then to the searching character of what the Lord in the jealousy of His love may have to say to us, to each one of us, and to our localities, and then to the saints universally. Let us yield to what the Lord may be saying in the jealousy of His love, in the way that He is exposing matters for what they are, and the way in which He is bringing out matters in their true light. What is in mind is that He should have a pure people here on earth in the testimony at the close of the dispensation, uncorrupted by anything. The epistle to Timothy brings that on to view: He has "brought to light life and incorruptibility by the glad tidings", 2 Tim 1: 10. I believe one of the points of life and incorruptibility coming into that epistle is that it should be taken on by us in the darkening state of things in the assembly. O, the deterioration there has been, dear brethren! What part we have had in it, every one of us! But the Lord is appealing to us in the strength and power of His love that there should be that devotion and energy with every one of us to what belongs to Him, that we might be like Timothy, of whom Paul said, "I have no one like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on", Phil 2: 20. Let more of that come to light, let the jealousy of Christ's love in its searching character have its way with us so that every matter that is extraneous to the exercise of His love may be judged by us, that there may be this pure testimony at the close of the dispensation, and that there may be even now that which can minister to His own heart. Paul had that in mind in writing to the Corinthian saints. He had much of a corrective nature to say in the first epistle, but in the second he went through a good deal of exercise. In addition to the exercise of soul that he went through, the Lord put him through circumstantial matters so that he should be on a sympathetic plane with the Corinthians to whom he had written the first letter. The second letter generally is a letter that is marked by joy and by the apostle ungirding himself and exposing in himself the jealousy of God that lay behind the writing of the first epistle. As we come to the end of it what is clear is that, although there was a general state of repentance among the Corinthian saints, there seemed to be still some who were unaffected by the apostolic letter. Dear brethren, let us each one of us search ourselves. Thank God for every one that has come through the crises of recent years. Thank God for every one that is here; but then as here, dear brethren, may I be permitted to enjoin you, as one would seek to enjoin oneself, to search ourselves and see that we are thoroughly committed to what the Spirit is going on with among the company of people to whom we are attached. Let us see that we are part and parcel in life of what is proceeding there, that we are not like those, some of whom did not seem to be able to judge themselves from the first epistle and with whom Paul has to take issue, having to assert his apostolic authority. He said in the first epistle that he would not come to them because he would have to come with a rod; but then he has to say that he will come and if he comes he will know the power (see 1 Cor 4: 18-21). All that is in view of our searching ourselves, that we are not just merely attached to a company of saints that is acknowledged of God (what a great privilege that is!) but that we might be in relation to God's interests vitally among the company of persons who are so, and that we may be having our living part in it. May the Lord encourage us. Behind all this is His love. What Paul says here is that he was afraid that they "should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ". The footnote tells us that it refers 'not to a personal trait, but to the doctrine as to Christ; what a faithful heart retained in simplicity, as taught in the truth'. May we be faithful persons. May our affections be in it, and may we retain what has been committed to us in simplicity, for God's glory. Amen.

LONDON

18 January 1975