FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY AS SEEN IN ABRAHAM (4)
[p. 315] FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY AS SEEN IN ABRAHAM (4)
JT There was something in mind, as to reconciliation.
WHW I was wondering if God speaking to Abraham was somewhat similar to our sitting under the ministry of reconciliation, bringing about the same results in us where it is accepted.
JT Well, that is a matter to be considered, because the section we are engaged with, that is, beginning with chapter 14, leads on methodically but surely, to the truth of reconciliation, in principle. I say in principle, because we have to await the New Testament for doctrine, only that all Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable for doctrine, Paul says to Timothy. My thought is that Abraham, in all that we read of him up till now in these chapters, speaks or acts in the light of grace, allusion being found to certain persons that are not exactly of the dispensation or in the spirit of it, such as Ishmael and others, but yet they are treated graciously, especially Ishmael. It is thought, therefore, that what we are engaged with should remind us of the spirit of reconciliation, which is brought out, not in the first letter to Corinth, but the second. The letters to Corinth have to do with the service of God, beginning with the Lord’s supper, and chapter 5 in the second epistle contemplates the spirit or principle of reconciliation. The chapter now read will engage us with Abraham, and the spirit in which he is seen in this section expressed in the seven ewe-lambs which he gave to Abimelech, and as to which Abimelech enquired. It is said that “Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech [p. 328] said to Abraham, What mean these seven [p. 316] ewe-lambs, these which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, That thou take the seven ewe-lambs of my hand, that they may be a witness to me that I have dug this well. Therefore he called that place Beer-sheba, because there they had sworn, both of them. And they made a covenant at Beer-sheba. And Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the captain of his host, and returned into the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a tamarisk in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal God”. I thought that this section would help the brethren as to what is before us, and what one trusts will engage us, please God; that is, the spirit that is proper to Christianity, the spirit of grace instead of the spirit of exaction and quarrel.
AJG Would that spirit show itself in Abraham in his intercession for Sodom?
JT Well, I think that is good and opens up much, because we cannot ignore the section we have had to pass over for want of time and the place that Lot has in it. Lot being related to Abraham represents our brethren who stand in relation to us in some sense, though not exactly in fellowship, but in some relation to us, and so Lot has a remarkable place and he is treated of in the New Testament, especially by Peter, as a righteous man. We have already alluded to Peter as having part in the formation of the dispensation, as one of the apostles, of whom he is said to be first, and to the spirit and terms in which he refers to Paul himself, as “our beloved brother Paul”. In saying this he also treats Paul’s letters or writings as Scripture, and he alludes to what Paul had written to the Jewish brethren, Peter would co-ordinate the position in encouraging the Hebrew brethren at that time. It is thought that what is before us now will help in that spirit, in which we are to proceed with our meeting, and what we find with Abraham here, as to Hagar and [p. 317] Ishmael and others that we have already alluded to, will help us as to the spirit of grace proper to Christianity.
Ques Would you see the same spirit of grace in Elisha when the bands of the Syrians came against Israel, and were brought into Samaria? The king of Israel wanted to smite them, but Elisha said, “Set bread and water before them”, and it says, “he prepared a great repast for them ... And the bands of Syria came no more”, 2 Kings 6: 23.
JT Very good. “The bands”, pointing to party feelings. They came no more. Now the beginning of our chapter speaks of Ishmael who is said to be a wild ass of a man, yet he is treated according to his relation to Abraham. This raises another point; that is, that although Ishmael’s generations and Isaac’s generations are given, Abraham’s generations are not given in the book of Genesis; that is to say, he is above the point of generations or history or territory. He is a heavenly man, and that is what we are coming to.
PHH Do you see this spirit of reconciliation in John 8 where the Lord speaks to the woman, and at the end of the chapter says, “Your father Abraham exulted in that he should see my day, and he saw and rejoiced”?
JT Very good; showing how Abraham is taken account of. “He looked for a city ... whose builder and maker is God”, which is a phase that enters into our consideration at the present time, and so he rejoiced to see the Messiah’s day; that is, Christ’s day. The whole of that wonderful chapter has Christ in mind. It begins with grace, because to the woman who was taken in sin the Lord says, “Neither do I condemn thee”. They wanted to condemn her. They brought her there to have her condemned, and probably slain, but the Lord refused to be the judge. He says, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more”. He does not entirely release her, He impliedly sets before her the thought of judgment if she would continue in sin. So we are in the presence of grace, dear brethren, I would say, in a peculiar way at this time, hoping that the Lord will be with us and enable us to reach a definite conclusion as to this particular matter of Abraham’s spirit.
JC-S Is it the intention of God that this spirit should permeate every one of us?
JT That is exactly what I was thinking. The Lord in speaking of Abraham said that he rejoiced to see His day, but then He pointed out certain things that Abraham did not do, and it would be a word for us as to what we should not do, the negative side of things. The positive is to be specially stressed, but the negative is not to be overlooked: that is to say, we cannot say we are free from the law, because although we are not under it, yet the law has authority.
ET Does this spirit of grace link with the insistence upon the truth? I was thinking of Genesis 21: 10, “Cast out this handmaid and her son”. It comes into the setting out of the truth in Galatians.
JT Well, we have already alluded to the grace shown to Ishmael in that Jehovah said to Abraham, recognising his relation to him, that He would bless him and so on, and that he should beget twelve princes. All that is in favour of Abraham, but at the same time the word comes to him through Sarah, “Cast out this handmaid and her son; for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son — with Isaac”. So there is the casting out; it is enjoined by Sarah, however.
Ques Did Abraham have to do violence to nature?
JT Quite [p. 319] so.
AM Would that be on the line of the directions the Lord gives in the gospels as to cutting off the hand and the foot, and the eye being plucked out?
JT Well, it would be if it is applied to each individual of us, but then if it is applied to one’s attitude towards another, that is another thing.
Rem In the first hearkening to Sarah there was no divine intervention to prevent it, but the Lord takes the initiative here, and tells Abraham that he must hearken to Sarah. The truth is at stake, and the Lord takes the initiative to see that it goes through.
JT Quite so. Hearkening to the voice of his wife. His wife had a voice; that is to say, she has a place, but then Abraham has too, and therefore the question of the place of the wife in relation to the husband comes up, and in this case it requires the divine intervention because it is not that Jehovah told him directly he must do it, but “In all that Sarah hath said to thee hearken to her voice”. We know the New Testament quotes this very passage as Scripture, just as Peter refers to Paul’s writing as Scripture.
FJB Did Sarah rise to a type of the assembly in reference to the casting out of Ishmael and the bringing in of Isaac?
JT She rises to a type of a speaker of Scripture, an inspired person, which is more than the assembly in that sense. Her voice is inspired. If we look at the epistle to the Galatians we shall see that. What she says is recognised as Scripture, and, of course, the voice of the assembly is not exactly Scripture. It may be, but Sarah’s voice in this matter is definitely referred to as Scripture.
AJG Is it like the Spirit maintaining the truth authoritatively?
JT Just so. You are enjoined in grace to do it, but you must do it. We must hearken to the voice [p. 320] of Scripture; that is more than any care meeting or any brothers’ meeting-the voice of Scripture.
Ques Is that more than oracular speaking, as referred to in Peter — speaking as the oracles of God?
JT Well, yes. The oracles of God are in themselves authoritative but they are not said to be Scripture, although in Romans 3 it is said that much belonged to Israel, because they had the oracles of God, and the allusion there is to the Scriptures, of course.
CFI Would this spirit of grace that marked Abraham be the result of his own knowledge of God, the way God had come in on the line of supply, bringing in Isaac?
JT I would say that. All that enters into it, but the place that Sarah has is remarkable.
HH Would what the Lord said in relation to praying to His Father for twelve legions of angels bear on what is being considered? “How then should the scriptures be fulfilled?” (Matthew 26: 54) the Lord said, recognising the necessity for the fulfilling of Scripture.
JT Quite so. The Lord even put things on that basis.
JP Is Abraham’s spirituality tested here? I was thinking of what the apostle Paul says in Corinthians, “If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is the Lord’s commandment”. 1 Corinthians 14: 37.
JT That is good. That is an important point, bringing out the value of the epistles to Corinth, because they are in mind in what is said; they are not simply the commandments but the commandment of the Lord, one idea, and, of course, that gives more point than merely the plural. It is one idea in those two [p. 321] epistles.
EB Would it be profitable to ask about the laughter of Sarah in this chapter, as over against her previous lack of faith, when she denied having treated the matter as an impossibility?
JT Well, it was lack of faith as you say, but then that is to be taken by itself. If she is treated in the passage we are dealing with as a scriptural authority so far, well, this has to be regarded by itself in all its force, because it is quoted as such in the New Testament, as Scripture; and therefore we are to pay attention to every Scripture.
PHH Are you implying in all you are saying that the way that God acted in supplying the well for Hagar is to give us an incentive in this great matter of grace?
JT Quite so, and the place that Beer-lahai-roi has in Scripture, in this very section. It was firstly the well that Hagar drank out of (Genesis 16: 14), showing that God’s grace towards Israel had to be recognised at first as it was. The apostles came back to Jerusalem, we are told, from Bethany, and were in the temple praising and blessing God; that is to say, they were still in that spirit, the spirit of what we are dealing with.
PHH Are we then to distinguish between what Hagar and her son mean spiritually, and what our brethren may be to us, whom we are to treat graciously?
JT I think that is good. All these references that are before us now are intended to soften our spirits towards our brethren wherever or whoever they may be if they have a righteous claim to be regarded as ours.
PHH The spirit of divine commandment would still come in, would it, because God tells her, or at least the Angel does, “Arise, take the lad, and hold him in thy hand”? There must be the spirit of [p. 322] subjection.
JT Just so, and as to our brethren with whom we would walk if we could, they must come to this, that “the things that I write to you”; that is to ay, Paul’s writings, as Peter testifies to, are “the Lord’s commandment”. I mean the particular ones that treat of the government of the assembly and the services entering into it, but beginning with the Lord’s supper. We must insist on the truth that governs the Lord’s supper, and that truth comes from Paul. “The things that I write to you, that it is the Lord’s commandment”.
JC-S Actually in Christendom Paul’s writings are belittled perhaps more than any of the writers of Scripture.
JT It is very noticeable, especially as to women. They are allowed to speak, whereas they are commanded not to speak in the assembly. Women are put up here and there as witnesses and ministers of God, whereas it is contrary to the commandment of the Lord through Paul.
Ques May I ask what the difference in aspect is between what we are considering in regard to Ishmael and what Abraham had previously said, “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!” chapter 17: 18. Has the intervention of circumcision anything to do with the difference?
JT Well, let us look at the passage, what ground does God put it on? “God said, Sarah thy wife shall indeed bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him, for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. And for Ishmael I have heard thee: behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful, and will very greatly multiply him; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to thee at this appointed time in the next year. And he left off talking with him;
and God went up from Abraham”, Genesis 17: 18 - 22. Now the connection is that Abraham’s desire for his son is based on Abraham himself, not exactly as circumcised, or that even Ishmael was circumcised, but that he was Abraham’s son, as he says. “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!” Then there is an allusion to Abraham being his father.
AJG That is in chapter 21: 13. “But also the son of the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is thy seed”.
JT I had in my mind to add to what has been said, that the basis in God’s mind of anything being done for Ishmael is because of his relationship to Abraham, his sonship to Abraham, and as I was saying, he has a place in administration in a certain sense, because he begets twelve princes and his generations are mentioned among the other generations, of which there are about ten in the book of Genesis, but Abraham’s generations are not mentioned, and that is just to show the place he has relatively in regard to all else in the book of Genesis, that is to say, he is the heavenly man, therefore he is our father, the father of us all.
AJG Have you in mind, then, that Ishmael would stand for certain ones who are of faith, but are not pursuing, you might say, God’s heavenly thoughts? They have a certain place, but the mind of God is that we should be set for the full thought of sonship and what is heavenly.
JT I think so. In all our dealings with them we have nothing less than that in mind. There is a remarkable passage in the epistle to the Romans, and amongst the things mentioned that belong to Israel is sonship, it pertains to Israel; “the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants”. The adoption pertains to Israel, that is to say sonship, so that we have nothing less in view for our brethren if we are certain that they are our brethren. They may,
[p. 324] indeed, have that knowledge, that the highest thought, that is, sonship is for them.
WSS “Sarah said, God has made me laugh: all that hear will laugh with me”. Is there a suggestion in that of the subjective side of the truth in Sarah, sonship being entered into joyfully?
JT She calls Isaac “my son” saying of Ishmael, he “shall not inherit with my son”. I think that is good. There would be the voice of the assembly in that, I would think.
WSS That is what I was wondering, whether we are, so to speak, coming into the light of that, and whether it is a joyful position.
JT It is a joyful position, because his name means laughter.
CFI Does the reference to “all that hear will laugh with me” indicate the coming in of Isaac, and the word of it going round would induce that laughter in others? Would that be in a way the spirit of grace in our approach to our brethren?
JT Quite so. It is holy. The question is to maintain holiness in all such emotions.
SHB Does the allusion to grace in Colossians 4 help in this matter? “Let your word be always with grace, seasoned with salt, so as to know how ye ought to answer each one”.
JT Very good. “Seasoned with salt”, and so elsewhere, “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another”, Mark 9: 50.
SHB Would the salt answer to what you have been suggesting in stressing the need of obedience to the commandment?
JT Quite so.
WHW Does it help to see, that if in seeking to carry out God’s commandments, we have sometimes to act severely, God comes in then, bringing in the spirit of grace, as Hagar is [p. 325] so cared for from heaven?
JT Quite so. Cared for from heaven.
AJG Does verse 12 help us? “Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad”.
JT Well, God is graciously helping Abraham, and of course, what we were saying about Bethany and Jerusalem, that is to say the disciples coming back to Jerusalem, and then in the temple blessing and praising God, would be to make way for Ishmael or for like persons who are in relation with us, because the greatest things belong to them, we have nothing less in mind for them. We have the greatest things, and we want to share them with all our brethren.
JC-S So that it is stated, “Because he is thy seed” — would that link up with John’s epistle somewhat? There are those who like Ishmael may be regarded as true believers and we would identify ourselves with them as having a point of affinity with them as the seed in that way.
JT Quite so.
AJG I was wondering whether there was a suggestion in the scripture that the lack with Ishmael was in failing to appreciate the well, because God opens Hagar’s eyes and shows her a well, but she seems content just to fill a flask of water from it; whereas Abraham goes and dwells by the well, and in fact digs it.
JT Showing that whilst the Spirit of God was necessarily connected with the Jews, that is to say with Israel, from the very outset, although He is not very formally stressed in the Angel that was to lead Israel into the land, yet the Spirit was there, “My Spirit”, we are told, remains “among you”, Haggai 2: 5. So it was connected with Israel, but then when we come to the truth of the Spirit, it is taken up in a more definite way in chapter 24 in connection with Beer-lahai-roi, where Isaac is seen as [p. 326] Rebecca comes to him. All that is most precious as to the truth, because the Lord has the Spirit in mind in view of Rebecca, that is to say, in view of ourselves; in view of the assembly. He would say to us, What can be done without the Spirit? That is a question that each one of us ought to ask.
Rem We see a certain tenderness in Abraham, that whilst he was going all the way and doing what Sarah said, casting out the handmaid and her son, yet he took bread and a flask of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away. There is a suggestion of tenderness, not ruthlessness, in dealing with the situation.
JT Quite so. He took bread and a flask of water. We have already had bread and wine, but here it is bread and water. He gave it to Hagar, putting it upon her shoulder. I think what you say is important.
Rem I thought it would amplify what you are drawing our attention to, the need of the maintenance of a right spirit towards those with whom we cannot walk.
JT Quite so.
Ques Is that seen too in the Lord when the Samaritans would not receive Him and James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven, but the Lord rebuked them and said, “Ye know not of what spirit ye are”.
JT Very good.
DJM Is it the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ?
JT A good quotation.
AM Would the flask represent limitations placed on the Spirit; something like the pool of Bethesda in John 5 — a kind of static idea as distinct from what is living?
JT Quite so.
CHH Would God’s calling attention to the well indicate the grace that is there, and the possibilities that are available?
JT I think so, especially after the Lord had gone up into heaven from Bethany. He had gone up to heaven having blessed the brethren, and then they came back to Jerusalem and were in the temple praising and blessing God; it was a testimony in grace to Jerusalem that the Spirit would be in the mind of God for them.
CHH Abraham was really in the spirit of that in bringing the seven ewe lambs. Seven is the complete idea, and he was thoroughly in the spirit of grace.
JT And then the ultimate result in what comes out in the end of the chapter, that is to say, Beer-sheba. He “called there on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal God”. It is one of the most beautiful passages that you can think of.
Ques May I get more clearly what Abimelech represents today?
JT He is also seen earlier, but now he comes back to Abraham. “And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech, and Phichol the captain of his host, spoke to Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest. And now swear to me here by God that thou wilt not deal deceitfully with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson. According to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land in which thou sojournest. And Abraham said, I will swear”. That is to say, Abraham is on firm ground with the Philistine king, but then he would go beyond the mere position of righteousness with the king; he would go further. And so it says here that “Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech”, and so forth. And then it says, “And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said to Abraham, What mean these seven ewe-lambs, these which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, That thou take the seven ewe-lambs of my hand, that they may be a witness to me that I have dug this well”. That is to say, Abraham is presenting himself to the king of the Philistines in this way, that he is in a gracious attitude, and would have Abimelech to be in that attitude too, in a right spirit in so far as he could be. But then Phichol is there, the captain, which is another thought added to the relations of Abraham with the Philistine king; as a captain he has a military spirit. Abraham is to take notice of that, and we are to take notice of it too, and yet in spite of that military threat we are to maintain the right spirit as suggested in the seven ewe-lambs.
CHH Is the idea to meet the opposition in the spirit of grace?
JT That is the idea.
Ques Does that bear on the threat by trade unionism which we have had before us?
JT That might be included because in these countries where God is working in such a remarkable way, the spirit of trade unionism seems to have greater place than anywhere, and the question is why should it be so? Have the brethren maintained a prayerful attitude before God as to this remarkable condition that has arisen in this part of the world? There is more tolerance of trade unionism here, as far as I can see, than anywhere, even in America. I am not saying it is amongst the brethren, but the brethren are apt to be affected by it.
AJG Is there any connection between the spirit of Christ shown by Abraham in the seven ewe-lambs, and the moral power he had to reprove Abimelech?
JT That is a very good point, that there is moral power instead of actual military power; and,
[p. 329] of course, that moral power belongs to those who have the Spirit of God. It is not in any ecclesiastical relation or assumption; it is a question of the Spirit of God. If you look for moral power it must be by the Spirit of God.
JC-S So the spirit of it would be the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
JT That is the full thought of it.
PL “In meekness setting right those who oppose”. Would Abraham planting the tamarisk link on with the thought of the meek inheriting the earth? Does he take possession of the earth in testimony?
JT I would rather connect all that with Matthew. Matthew is the gospel book, and the Lord there says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart”. That is where we see the full thought. The assembly ought to be equal to that, because the point in Matthew is to bring the assembly to the full thought.
RGC Does Paul emphasise this matter of grace in the conclusion of most of his epistles, both to assemblies and individuals? His last word generally at the end of his epistles is, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”, and so on.
JT Quite so. I think Matthew must have prime place in what we are saying; not simply in the reflection of Christ in the brethren, in their spirits and that, but as to what the Lord Himself is. We have come back to that or we have not come back to anything. We have come back in principle, I believe, in the revival, to Christ, but not simply to Christ but to Christ and the assembly. It began in the Reformation. I believe the Spirit of God had in mind to bring in Christ, and He did bring in Christ; but the Spirit had more in mind in the revival;
[p. 330] that is, to bring in Christ and the assembly, and that is Matthew.
CCC Is there some connection with the thought of the seven ewe-lambs in the answer in Isaiah to the Assyrian assumption: “The virgin-daughter of Zion despiseth thee, laugheth thee to scorn”, Isaiah 37: 22?
JT Just so. The question is whether the Assyrian was to be met that way, whether it is a military or international matter, because the international idea cannot be ignored. We have to deal with it. The question I am raising is where the virgin daughter stands, what she is, how she copes with the Assyrian. We have to face all that, but we can hardly take it up now. It is only a question of touching things in a meeting like this, and seeing the bearing of them.
CFI Abraham refers to having dug this well. Is that important?
JT If we wish to assert that we have the truth of the Spirit, good and well, but we want to show that we have the Spirit. It is no question of saying, that I have been sealed, that I am a believer. We have to show that we are spiritual. If we make any claim as here, to having dug the well, we want to show that we are spiritual.
EB Would it be right to ask in that connection whether Abraham has shone in his intercessory way in regard to Sodom, and then has shone in his consideration for Hagar, and now he is shining in relation to the authorities?
JT I would think that, and would add what is said of him in chapter 18: 33, “And Jehovah went away when he had ended speaking to Abraham”. That is what I was alluding to a moment ago; God is dealing with the nations, and we cannot ignore the international position, but we count on God in relation to it. He has to do with it, and we have [p. 331] to do with it, and how are we to do it? It is not God going up here, but God going away, as having to do with Sodom, and that entered into Lot’s position. I wonder if the brethren are all following what I am endeavouring to say. It is not God going up, but God going away as having ended speaking to Abraham. And then it says that Abraham “returned to his place”. What is that? It is not a question of heaven, but what is on the level of the earth here. And God is acting on that level too.
PHH Does that mean that God is going on to judgment, but meanwhile we are left here?
JT Good. We have to wait and see. It really corresponds with the book of Revelation.
AED Is it exemplified too in the teaching of grace in Titus? “We should live soberly, and justly, and piously in the present course of things, awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ”.
JT Quite so, there is the level on which God is acting and on which Abraham is acting. There is no idea of going up. It is the international position, because that has already come in in Abraham’s intercession for Sodom.
CCC You suggest that the book of Revelation will help us as to God dealing with all the nations of the earth, the whole position.
JT That is the idea.
PHH Meanwhile, are we to be here with a good testimony?
JT Our position is clear, and God’s position is clear. God goes away. Well, what may not be in that? May it not be some military intervention, because the Lord is seen in Revelation as the King of kings and Lord of lords; He is the One who will deal with everything in that sense.
ACSP Would it be the thought at the end of Matthew in the reference to the Lord having all [p. 332] power, and then the reference to all the nations, and the Lord with us all the days?
JT That is good. Matthew was in my mind, for in that gospel the Lord is never said to go up to heaven.
PHH Do you mean that we may be left here, and God arranging things so that we can be left here safely for a while?
JT Quite so. It is what God is mercifully doing. He is merciful, not willing that anyone should perish. He went away, but then He is not withdrawing His hand; His hand is over everything. The Father is over all, and through all, and in us all. He has the supreme place everywhere.
PL And does this book of Revelation link on with “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing”?
JT Very good. The book of Revelation really links on with Mark 13. The Lord speaks of things and says, “But of that day or of that hour no one knows, neither the angels who are in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father”. And then He says, “But what I say to you, I say to all, Watch”. That, I think, is what will come out in the book of Revelation; it is a revelation that God gave to Christ, something God conferred as it were, on Christ. It is the word Apocalypse. It is a revelation, and He signified it to His servants by His bondman John. The Lord took it on and took up John. We were already speaking about John. He has a certain work to do, but it is always left open. He has no ministry in a formal way like Paul, but he has a place in the book of Revelation, which largely relates to judgment, you might say.
PHH Do the closing verses of chapter 21 suggest a little what may occupy us while we are waiting? Abraham planted a tamarisk in Beer-sheba “and called there on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal God”. Is there a suggestion there of our going on with the service while we are sojourning?
JT Just so. It shows the liberty Abraham has, and how easy his circumstances are now. Our circumstances in a way are easy; that is, God has made them so for us. So that we can carry on as we are today, for instance. And so Abraham’s circumstances are easy, if you will pardon my using the word. It is a question now of going down to Beer-sheba and calling on the Eternal God, and he can say to Abimelech, ‘I am ready to make a covenant with you. I am rich enough to do it, I have means enough to do it, I am in easy circumstances’. I trust the brethren will understand the use of the word easy. The Spirit of God makes it easy for us, so that we can take up this attitude of grace towards men.
CHH Does the last verse imply the effect of the operations of grace, Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days? He would be there in the moral superiority of grace in an adverse scene.
JT But look at the God he has, the “Eternal God”! That is what I am looking at, the Eternal God.
Ques Whilst we have to take full account of the serious position in the world at the present time, it is never to become overwhelming to our spirits?
JT Quite so. We are in easy circumstances generally, but then we are to use them for the gospel. The gospel is not to be allowed to go, to be left, and so I think the brethren ought to take to heart the need for public testimony to the gospel in these countries. The preaching of the gospel publicly is not practised as far as I know.
JC-S I am afraid it has been discounted somewhat, and then the plea is made that there is no interest, that men do not listen.
JT It is a poor plea, and it will not hold in heaven. What are we going to do with these easy [p. 334] circumstances? What are we going to do with the time we have? We are well occupied today, but then what about the preaching of the gospel? What about the sufferings attached to it, as Paul says in the epistle to the Colossians, “I fill up that which is behind of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh, for his body, which is the assembly”?
PL “Woe is unto me, if I preach not”.
JT That is what Paul says of himself.
PL Jeremiah said the fire was in his bones, (Jeremiah 20: 9).
JC-S You are suggesting that the easy circumstances should really provide what you might call contributory circumstances for the preaching of the gospel, and going on to the service of “the Eternal God”?
JT Just so, because what can be more assuring and more certain than that we are in the presence of the Eternal God, and we are related to Him intelligently and according to His mind.