(4) THEIR HOPE
([p. 289] 4) THEIR HOPE
The things which happened to Israel were for ensamples, or types. Israel was actually an earthly people, but God’s ways with them give to us a pattern of His ways with a heavenly people on earth. They were redeemed out of Egypt that God might dwell among them. Yet, in this Book of Numbers, we see all the wickedness and perverseness of the flesh coming out in them. Moses, as the law-giver, had to do with them in their perverseness, and therefore he could not have spoken the prophecies which we have before us. Balaam was permitted to see the people in the vision of God, and was used to make known the thoughts and mind of God in regard to them. It is in Christ that we learn the divine purpose concerning us; it is impossible to learn it in any other way.
These prophecies do not then present to us Israel after the flesh, but the Israel of promise, an ideal Israel, which is in the mind of God. They are four distinct prophecies, although forming a complete whole. The first shews their sanctification; they were a people apart, and not to be reckoned among the nations. So in 2 Thessalonians 2: 13 the apostle says, “We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth”. It is the divine idea that there should be a people separate from the world — not reckoned among the nations.
In the next prophecy we see that the curse which had come in by the law had disappeared, and the blessing of God abides upon His people. It was ever God’s thought to bless. The law brought in curse, but it is said in Galatians 3: 13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ”. God can speak of not having seen iniquity in Jacob nor perverseness in Israel, for Christ has taken the place of the man under judgment, and in His cross the man under judgment has gone in judgment; the curse has gone along with the man to whom it applied; the righteousness of God has been vindicated and His grace has exceeded, and God’s blessing is upon His people. At this time the question of the curse and the blessing was not raised by God; it was raised by the enemy, and the divine answer was that the curse is gone and the blessing remains.
The two great points in the third prophecy are comeliness and strength. The comeliness of Israel was the order in which God had set them in their tents. The prophecy will be fully made good in Israel in a future day, for they will be established in the land of promise according to their tribes, and none will dare to stir them up.
Christ is both our comeliness and strength. If viewed according to our ways down here there is much that is uncomely. God has made us accepted in the Beloved; we have Christ as covering; the best robe is that which comes under the eye of God. Then Christ is also our strength within. The apostle could say that he had strength for all things in Him who gave him power. We have no real strength but Christ. If He dwells in the heart by faith we are strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might; we can then stand in the evil day, and, having done all, stand. If we are minding any worldly status, or are under any worldly influence, we are assailable, for in that point we are weak, and the enemy can gain an advantage.
[p. 291] In the divine nature alone are we able to withstand.
When the Lord was here on earth there was no point at which the enemy could touch Him, because He was in no way dependent upon man, or upon things here. He was a stranger here, and entirely independent of the whole scene through which He passed, perfectly superior to it, so that at the close He could say, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. If He had sought the favour or approbation of the world He would not have been independent of it, but His ministry from the beginning to the end was the outcome of perfect love. He said, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me”. Now, we have the privilege, in the power of the Holy Spirit, of being as independent of the world as He was. As men here on earth we may have duties connected with families and business, but in them we seek to please God, and do not look for the favour or approval of the world. Then if we are formed in the divine nature we walk in love to the brethren, and towards all, and thus walking we are unassailable. Christ is our strength.
In these prophecies there is nothing about heaven; they all relate to a people here on earth. When we reach the fourth prophecy there is only one thing to add to what has gone before: that is, the coming of the Lord. When He comes He will deal with the deadly, pernicious influences which here on earth gain ascendancy over the mind of man. We do not look for the coming of the Lord exactly in the way that Israel will do. The Book of Psalms shews how they will look for Him. In it is traced the whole course of things on earth, from the rejection of Christ to the glory of the kingdom. But there is a great deal in it which would scarcely be fitting expression for Christians.
In this fourth prophecy there is a name of God which is not found in the previous prophecies — the [p. 292] Most High. In the previous ones we have God and Jehovah continually, but not this name. God revealed Himself to the patriarchs as Almighty, and to Israel as Jehovah; but to us He is revealed as Father. In the millennium He will be known as Most High, although the previous names will not be abandoned, but will all be made good. The name Almighty connects itself with the promises, shewing that God is able to accomplish all that He has promised. The name Most High is combined with this in Scripture; God fulfils all His promise and takes His position with regard to heaven and earth as Most High. Both these names are found here.
The coming of the Lord is here intimated by the two symbols — the Star and the Sceptre. A star is conspicuous in the heavens, and a sceptre is the symbol of rule. Both will be realised in Christ, who, springing out of Jacob, will rule for ever over the house of Jacob. This prophecy does not relate directly to Israel, but to the natural and hereditary enemies of Israel. In some of them you get a mass of enemies that Israel on their way to Canaan were not allowed to molest. The hatred of Moab, Edom, Amalek, and Asshur to Israel was hereditary. Asshur (Assyria) is the great enemy of Israel when Israel is owned. The power of all these will be destroyed.
The significance to us is that there are relationships into which the church has entered down here which have involved questions beyond our power to deal with, and which can only be solved in the coming of the Lord. He will cut the knot, and will leave nothing remaining but that which is of Himself. If we are at all conscious of the hopeless confusion prevailing here, we shall, with the Spirit, say “Come”.
It may be well just to recall the point of these prophecies:
(1) Sanctification now secured in the presence and power of the Spirit.
([p. 293] 2) The blessing of Abraham abides — there is complete justification.
(3) The people of God have comeliness and strength as in Christ.
(4) The coming of the Lord is the crown of all. The Spirit and the bride say “Come”.