THE SERVICE OF GOD MARKED BY SYSTEM
[p. 64] THE SERVICE OF GOD MARKED BY SYSTEM
1 Samuel 21:10 - 15; 1 Samuel 22:1 - 5; 1 Samuel 23:1 - 6; 1 Samuel 30:11 - 15
I wish to make clear in what I have to say that systematic conditions are essential in the service of God. We use the word system much in regard to what men have religiously, and we use it rightly, because, generally, system is made the leading essential feature with them, for they have to labour without the Holy Spirit in these humanly devised institutions; whereas in divine service, while system is essential, it is pervaded by the Spirit of God and controlled by the Lord Jesus, all emanating from the Father, love being basic in it. Hence the introduction of the idea of twelve, the twelve tribes, the numeral denoting love in systematic operations.
Observation of creation leads to the assumption, aside from revelation, that God wrought systematically in framing the worlds. The principle of balance enters into the creation, and unseen elements working in relation to it; visible elements too, but the holding elements are invisible. Much has been discovered as made by God. He knows all that He has placed in the creation, and there is far more in it than any creature mind can take in. The further the investigation, the more baffled the human mind becomes; even figures fail; and the elements at work, some of which are now harnessed for man’s use, are invisible, but felt as there. All are perfectly regulated structurally, indeed the word is “framed”: “the worlds were framed by the word of God”, Hebrews 11:3. “He who has built all things is God”, Hebrews 3:4 we are told. The word ‘built’ is first applied in Scripture to woman, not to the world. In either case systematic framing or ordering is evident.
When we come to the moral system of things, what has been called the moral universe, this idea is obviously there. There is what is visible, namely, persons, and what is invisible. Our Lord Jesus Christ has come into it [p. 65] visibly. He has part in invisible Deity, but He has come into manhood, in incarnation. The Lord worked systematically from the very outset of His labours, selecting twelve, that they might be with Him as Mark says, Now we are dealing with moral things. In order to have part in this, the first requirement is divine selection; I cannot volunteer. The Lord went up into a mountain and called whom He Himself would, Mark 3:13. He made His selection, appointing “twelve that they might be with him, and that he might send them to preach”. The system was thus sovereignly inaugurated. It is a question of divine selection, wisdom and love being there, infinitely; dear brethren, the Father, the Son and the Spirit were all there. The Lord spent the night in prayer before He appointed the apostles, Luke 6:12. He prayed to His Father. In Acts 1:2 He is said to have charged the apostles by the Spirit.
I have said all that to make the subject clear. I had in mind a word from the Psalms which refers to Genesis, and shows how God even then, in the days of the patriarchs, said, “Touch not mine anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm”, Psalm 105:15. That is the book of Genesis; but when we come to the book of Exodus, systematising becomes a leading thought. God in sending Moses to Pharaoh said of Aaron, “it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him for God”, Exodus 4:16. Not, a god, but God. That is God’s way in systematic testimony. Then at mount Sinai and at Horeb we have the most elaborate system inaugurated; angels were there, but Moses and Aaron were there too. Moses was doing things much by himself at first, but God did not intend that there should be one-man ministry. It is true that Christ is Head, but still it is not one-man ministry, for the Lord associated the apostles with Himself in it. So that as Moses was doing all of a certain service, Jethro his father-in-law advised him to appoint others to help [p. 66] him, which he did, Exodus 18. These should look after tens or hundreds or thousands, so that the people should be served in a systematic way.
At mount Horeb in the light of the covenant, the system is appointed and arranged, that is to say, God is going to do His best; that is the principle. The principle of the covenant is that God does His best for us in any given circumstance. The circumstances vary and God may vary what He does, but He does His best in the circumstance. So that we have to understand our circumstances and to see how God can do His best for us. “I have borne you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself”, He says, Exodus 19:4, and I am going to constitute you a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. Israel was to be a nation of priests, that was God’s thought, not simply one priest and four sons, but a nation of them. Could He have done better than to suggest this? Hence Peter says by the Spirit, Ye are “built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ”, 1 Peter 2:5. As I said, Exodus, and particularly Numbers, set out the systematic ordering of God. Every male in Israel was needed, whether for military or for levitical service, from twenty years and even less. Levites taken from a month old are all held for service, although they did not enter into it until they were twenty-five years old. I am speaking now to the young ones here; you are held for service. I will come to that later in the last scripture read, but now I wish to show how this matter of systematic service developed in the history of David — a wonderful man taken on by God — and to speak of the system formed in relation to him.
I read 1 Samuel 21 because it points to persons whom God proposes to use, but who through unbelief find themselves in the most incongruous associations. It is futile to attempt or to assume to serve unless one’s associations are right. To present [p. 67] oneself for service while you are in unsuitable associations is an insult to God; He preserves His own rights in these matters. So when in the history of God’s people we come to the rebellion of Korah, we find a Levite, one very near to a priest, but still not a priest, aspiring to priestly service. Because a man can preach he is not thereby constituted a priest; a man may preach and still be unconverted. God says, ‘That will not do for Me’. God reserves His rights in His own house. Abraham says, “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!” Genesis 17:18. He wanted to push him in because he was his son; that will not do for God. The religious systems around us largely expect that kind of service from those who have natural ability and education; the ministers are very largely drawn from that class. But God says, ‘That will not do for Me. I am looking for true conversion and for the possession of the Holy Spirit in those who serve Me;’ “I will be hallowed in them that come near me”, Leviticus 10: 3. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire, and they were slain. Another man makes a cart to carry the ark of God, 2 Samuel 6:3 - 8; Abinadab might have thought, I have had the ark in my house for years, and my sons surely know how to care for it; but his son Uzzah, not being a true priest, erred as to it, and he suffered death.
Now according to our chapter, 1 Samuel 21, David had got into a very false position; three times here he is called a madman. Think of an anointed man being called a madman by the uncircumcised! Why? Because he is acting like one; his whole position here is false. Of course, he acted as if mad to save himself, but the Spirit of God records these things for our learning. The passage goes on to say, “David departed thence”, and I would say to anyone in bad associations in any degree, Flee them, otherwise you are ostracised from the holy service of God. “David departed thence”, it says, “and escaped to the cave of Adullam”. Notice [p. 68] that he departed from the false position. I want to show how Adullam is a symbol of independency of worldly things and of Philistine influences. On the battlefield David would not be afraid of Achish king of Gath. There never was any such thought with David on the battlefield as cowardly fear of his enemies; but in Gath he is afraid, he flees, and rightly so. Now at Adullam he is where God can support him. I want to make it clear that we must flee evil associations, however we have got into them, and reach the cave of Adullam where God can support us, can add to us, and lead us intelligently into His system of things. In this position David acquires a prophet. Gad, a leading element officially in the system. He then acquires a priest, Abiathar. The Lord Jesus in speaking of David as seen in these chapters calls them “The section of Abiathar, the high priest”. It was no mean system that was developed there. I want to say to every young person that if you are in any evil association, God is waiting for you to leave it so that He may set you up in the most august of systems. We are living in a great high-priestly time. One has often wondered at the Lord calling these chapters “the section of Abiathar the high priest”; he was a young man here and hence could not possess much experience, but he came to David, and David was in the cave of Adullam. It is called a stronghold. The true king was there apart from worldly or Philistine influences; he becomes attractive there, and influential. I would say to all, that, as there, you are where God can support you. David is now a type of Christ and people of all classes come to him; I cannot go over the list; I suppose every one of us could put ourselves into it. However discontented, distressed or bankrupt a person might be, under the influence of David he is changed; there is no idea of these four hundred men continuing with David as bankrupt and distressed people; they are in the process of being changed. As in the Philistine country [p. 69] with Achish, David is a believer in a false position, useless to God and to His people. Now in the cave of Adullam his anointing is showing itself; he is a type of Christ as the rejected King, and he becomes a captain over those who came to him. We never hear again of those people as discontented; they came into the realm and under the influence of David.
Then there is another thing; as in Adullam, the king is interested in others. He is not neglectful of his parents. One of the crying discrepancies today is disregard of parents by young people, forgetfulness of what they have been to us. David provides for his father and mother at cost to himself, I should say; getting the king of Moab to find a haven of rest for them. Young people need to be reminded to obey their parents in the Lord that it may be well with them; that is the first commandment with a promise, “that thy days may be prolonged in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee”, Exodus 20:12. Then we have the prophet: David is doing right now and exercising divine principles, and the prophetic ministry comes in to help him; Gad comes in. It is the first mention of Gad, he is called David’s seer. Why should David be so honoured as to have a seer? It is a question of the kingdom. I have been speaking of David as a failing believer, but now he is restored, moving in righteousness, influential for good, caring for his parents, and he is provided with a prophet; he needs prophetic ministry to guide and keep him. But in a greater sense, David is king here; although rejected, he is inaugurating a kingdom, and for this a prophet is needed. Christ is King, Priest and Prophet.
The prophetic ministry applies peculiarly at the present time. The more we take up this attitude the more we shall find prophetic ministry at our side. Gad would say what was needed to be said; he could tell David what to do, that he should leave the place where he was. The path of faith is a movable thought. In [p. 70] the world there is walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing in the way of sinners, sitting in the seat of the scornful: when we turn away from God that is what we find, but as turning back to God, putting ourselves where God can use us, we are added to by persons who can help us spiritually, and these are added in a systematic way. So that the prophet Gad says to David, “Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth”, 1 Samuel 22:5. It is movement. Am I ready for such a prophetic word? Gad, David’s seer, served him well; later, when David did something wrong, he served him well again. I speak of him now as an element of the systematic state of things God would have His people in. I want the ear of every young person at this time. God is building up a system; He has been building it up, but He is building it now in connection with current circumstances, for there is a new set of circumstances today. Sets of circumstances necessitated the addresses to the assemblies in Revelation. What are our circumstances? Can God introduce this systematic idea into ours? That is the point. He is doing it in the passage before us, and we have the moral course pursued in David. Gad is used for this purpose, and his advice is, “Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah” That word is to be noted. In reading any scripture we have to observe the vocabulary. Every word has a meaning. What gave rise to this word “Judah”? In Genesis 29 you will find its meaning: it is praise. Jacob touches on this poetically in Genesis 49:8; and other references, such as Numbers 2:3, show that Judah represents sovereign purpose or counsel. It is now not simply that I am moving in circumstances that are morally right, but I have a place in the divine purpose; I was thought of before the worlds. I want to get into that line. It is a resting place for my soul, that I have a place in the divine purpose, and I never can be robbed of it. It is fixed: “For the gifts and the calling of God are not subject to repentance”, Romans 11:29. So David goes to the forest of Hareth; there is something in that too, here, no doubt; a forest hides and protects.
I go on now to the attack of the Philistines against David, not against him directly, but against a city. To make a present application; a matter looms up in some local company, and a believer asks, Am I interested? Is it my business? Or he may say, That matter belongs to someone else. Perhaps it does, more immediately, but it certainly belongs to each one of us; as being an Israelite, every tribe belongs to me. The Colossian saints, we are told, had love “towards all the saints”. However far away from you they are, in Australia, or South Africa, your love is toward them, their affairs are yours. David says to Jehovah, “Shall I go and smite these Philistines?” He prayed about it, that is the next point. David in prayer becomes a priest himself, for in truth we have the prophet, priest and king in these chapters. The prophet is Gad; David himself is a prophet too, but he is here a priest. Something is happening in a city that does not come immediately under his control; he had an army of only six hundred men; he had better leave that matter, it might be said. But if he is to be king of Israel, it is his matter; he is already anointed king, he is kingly in his affections; thus he would save the men of Keilah from the Philistines. He enquired, “Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said ... , Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah”. David smote them and saved the inhabitants of Keilah. Then it is mentioned that Abiathar with the ephod is there. I wish to show you young people how this systematic thing spreads out as you do something for God and for His people. God may tell you the work is your matter, or you may ask Him about it, showing your interest. David succeeds in this service and God says, I will add another to enhance your system,
[p. 72] namely Abiathar. He comes in with an ephod. You are acquiring priestly power, such a person is added, and added contributively, for he came with an ephod. He was a refugee, but he is the high priest here, so that he is dignified in this section; the Lord refers to these chapters as “the section of Abiathar the high priest”, Mark 2:26. I want all to see that on these lines you are coming into the most dignified system conceivable. It is our High Priest that is in mind; it is high-priestly time; our High Priest has “become higher than the heavens”, Hebrews 7:26.
Abiathar having come with an ephod, David immediately uses it, showing he is now entirely in the divine way. Whatever God gives to him he makes use of at once. He preserves God’s people in Keilah, but the citizens of Keilah are ungrateful and would deliver their saviour to his enemy. Persons who serve must sometimes come in for the basest ingratitude; we have to face that; but God is there and the ephod is there, a priestly state contributed to by Abiathar, and David is able to get the mind of God. See how the truth works out: there is complete dependence on God, David is set up supported by God, so that Saul is unable to overcome him, though he has only a handful of men, a small army as compared with that of Saul, nevertheless there is a touching word in this passage, that “Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand”, 1 Samuel 23:14. Why should it be put that way? How critical conditions were! Even public conditions God may turn this way or that way for His own ends. Saul was there, near to David, destruction was thus very near him, but God did not deliver him up. It is to bring in complete dependence; it may go that way or this way in a moment. It is a question of God. The heavenly warfare is always critical and we can never afford to withdraw from an attitude of dependence on God; it is needed at every moment. The peace of God only garrisons my heart as I make known my requests to God [p. 73] by prayer and supplication — not simply that I have prayed about it, but that I pray about it. It enters into my prayer and supplication. “Be careful about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses every understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts by Christ Jesus”, Philippians 4:6,7. Night and morning, midnight and midday — it is the state of my soul. I need God every moment; and this includes public affairs, especially as they are the present time, for they are most momentous. If I have prayed about them I shall have assurance; and we need constant assurances. God gives this too, taking account of our weakness. You can see what I am speaking of, this matter of a system in divine things. David had already the sword of Goliath, the best in the world, none like it; then he has Gad the prophet; now he has Abiathar with an ephod.
I now come to chapter 30. David loses everything. It is a terrible experience, his loved ones all taken, the families of his men lost too! That brings us to a most momentous crisis: what is David to do? Well, he has been using the ephod, and he uses it again; it is the way out; priestly access to God. We must never omit that; whatever happens let us have recourse to God; the door is open, thus the priestly state in self-judgment is to be maintained. God’s door is always open to this man. He likes a man that trembles at His word; so “David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”, 1 Samuel 30:6. This history is well known to most of us; I just touch on it now for I want to come to the “young man”, verse 13. The crying need of the time is for exercised young men. The book of Genesis gives a great prototype of the young man: at seventeen years old he flees youthful lusts and follows righteousness, 2 Timothy 2:22; that is Joseph. “David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”, we are told. He inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after [p. 74] this troop? shall I overtake them? And he said to him, Pursue; for thou shalt assuredly overtake them and shalt certainly recover”, verse 8. How beautiful is this direct intercourse with God! Think of waking in the middle of the night and being able to have intercourse with God! Your heart becomes full of peace instead of trouble. But what about the need of young men and young women in the systematised state of things inaugurated by David? That is what I am coming to. His men are with him to weep “until they had no more power to weep”, verse 4. How salutary is this in such a day as ours! The present moment is a crisis for the assembly! The history of the assembly is, we may say, a history of crises. There is the present one, and how am I to pursue in it? Can I move systematically or am I a free lance, an unattached person? God will attach you at once if you are suitable for the fellowship. David is pursuing under the direction of God, and now we are told that they found an Egyptian in the field. Well, we may say, he is not much, an Egyptian in the field is not much spiritually. Let us look into his history; he gives it himself, and one is of but little value unless he can give an account of himself. What is your history? What are your associations? Well, those of this young man are not good, but still there is intelligence in him. There is something remarkable about him. Why is he left behind? Why is he rejected? We are told of the man in John 9 whose eyes had been opened, that they cast him out. This man says, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick”, verse 13. That would mean spiritually that he was complaining, conditions were not right where he was. Many come into fellowship just to imitate others, they are not sick at all, not dissatisfied with what they are professedly leaving. Happily this young man was not pining over what he left. Some young people come to the meeting, and while there keep [p. 75] looking at the clock; it is the meeting on the street they are looking for, a car ride, or something like that after the meeting. They are more sick of the meetings than of the circumstances outside. This young man fell sick in the service of the Amalekite, and he was left; this fact would make him all the more useful and interesting to David, but then, he is not only sick, he is starving; but suitable food is immediately provided. Are you young people here reading suitable books, absorbing what will bring you out from Amalekite conditions — conditions in the world? They supply this man with food. David did not do this directly; such services belong, under the Lord, to the brethren; He said to Peter, “Feed my lambs”. Here they “gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink, and gave him a piece of fig-cake and two raisin-cakes, and he ate, and his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, for three days and three nights”, verses 11, 12. This matter of good spiritual food as building up a constitution is most essential, especially because we are faced with serious conditions among the young, sometimes seeing them turn aside without any excuse. What is the secret? It is a poor constitution built up on unspiritual food. Here there is basic food in bread and water, and the fig and raisin-cakes are stimulating. Young people need stimulation spiritually. When we can pray about a young man in the meeting who is set up constitutionally there will be special energy in our prayers; but when the things of the world are sought, we have very little confidence in praying. It is with heavy hearts the brethren turn to God as to those thus marked. The secret of it is the poor food.
This man is brought to David and he questions him. He answered, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick”. David is going to add him to his system, that is my point. God has a remarkable system,
[p. 76] a spiritual system, with needed features added as available, including places for young people. The man further says, “We made a raid against the south of the Cherethites, and against what belongs to Judah, and against the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire”. What intelligence this young man had! At times it is painful as coming in contact with so-called christians, to note the ignorance that comes out; sometimes they can hardly find a book in the minor prophets! Well, look at this apparently ordinary young man, a private in the army, see the intelligence he had! He had the knowledge of a leading officer as to what was going on. When young people who are interested in the things of the Lord meet a man who can instruct them, they ask him questions, so that they know, and if they meet a brother who travels, they ask him about the saints in other localities. Information thus received enables us to pray for the saints intelligently. This young man says, “We made a raid against the south of the Cherethites”. Who are the Cherethites? This young man knew something of them; some of them it would seem were closely linked with David, as mentioned later; the first notice of them in Scripture is here. The man says they also invaded what belonged to Judah. Who was Judah? I have already referred to the meaning of this name, ‘praise’. Through David, who was of this tribe, “the praises of Israel” were arranged. The Amalekites would damage all this; that is Satan working through the flesh. This man refers to all in a knowing way; see the intelligence he had! I am seeking to show through him how young men and young women may acquire needed knowledge; if you do not know, make enquiry and “the Lord will give thee understanding in all things”, 2 Timothy 2:7. I need not say that there are wonderful things to be known. It is said in the prophets, “we shall know, — we shall follow on to know Jehovah”, Hosea 6:3.
[p. 77] It is further said that the raiders went up against the south of Caleb. Who is this Caleb? A most interesting man, having no equal in a certain sense; he is a man of “another spirit”, Numbers 14:24. He had another spirit in him — the opposite of that which marked those who refused the heavenly land. Spiritually, these Amalekites hate that, they hate all that refers to the service of God. This young man knew something about these groups of persons who were linked with the people of God and the service of God, which, as I said, is quite remarkable. And as he can lead David to the marauders, the man becomes an important adjunct in David’s system; but on the solemn condition that he must not be put to death, nor delivered into the hand of his master. The spiritual meaning is that he is going to be in a new system of things set up by David. In this chapter we get David’s spoil, David’s legislation and David’s affections for his old friends. No one is forgotten in this new system of things. Two hundred people stayed behind; they stayed behind by the stuff and they are considered for, too. It is a circle of administrative affection and everyone is rightly cared for, especially the friends where David used to visit; he sends them presents. This young man is added to such a system: “And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God, that thou wilt neither put me to death nor deliver me up into the hand of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop”, verse 15.
The chapter is full of precious typical instruction as to the new system of things into which we as christians are brought by God through Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are richly and affectionately cared for, and nothing in the way of service you have done will be forgotten. That is our system of things, and we invite all not in it to come into it. As worthy, you will be added to the system, you will know something [p. 78] of those who are already in it, and you will never be killed or delivered to your previous Amalekite master. You will be in a blessed system where what is of God prevails.