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RESURRECTION, THE BASIS

It is on my mind to touch on the series of Psalms beginning with Psalm 19 and including the three succeeding ones. What led me to this is the thought that the Lord is the spirit of scripture: and that the platform of God’s ways is that of resurrection. It is wonderful how this comes out in the Old Testament. In the New Testament we have the fact; but in the Old, prophetically, everything depended upon this; and it is, indeed, very plain that resurrection must be the platform on which God displays Himself, man being under death. This comes out in these psalms as plainly as can be. When Christ was risen from the dead He was found in the midst of the disciples, and we read of Him, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”. That was Himself risen.

All things that were spoken of Him had to be fulfilled, as He said, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”. God addresses Himself to man in the light of resurrection. I think, in writing Psalm 19, the psalmist was looking away from the confusion which is in the world, to heaven, and there is no confusion there. Sin brought in the confusion. As a matter of fact, sin has been the occasion of all the confusion on earth. No one can fail to see the confusion, it is before you every day. The politics of the world, partition of countries, and the like, witness to the confusion, but the psalmist looks away from the confusion ^[p. 75] to the heavens, where order prevails. There is one thing upon earth in which there is no confusion. “The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul”.

Now, the psalmist puts together in this psalm two thoughts: (1) the heavens declare God’s glory, (2) His law is upon earth. The heavens declare God’s glory to the earth, and the law of God is to rule upon earth. When you get these two things brought together there is an end to all confusion.

I quite admit that the psalmist was here speaking of the material heavens, but I do not think that the Spirit of God was limited to that. I take up the idea in a moral sense, as foreshadowing that which has been brought to pass in the resurrection and glory of Christ.

If we look up to the heavens we see there the glory of God, the perfect satisfaction of every attribute of God in harmony with His nature. That is what I understand by the glory of God: righteousness and love harmonise, and the heavens thus declare the glory of God. Stephen looked up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God.

It is not the glory of God in creation when sin had not been in question, but the glory of God when sin has been in question; every attribute of God in perfect harmony with His love. All has been effected as is set forth in the Lord Jesus Christ. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.

Another point comes out in the psalm in connection with the heavens. “In them he hath set a tabernacle for the sun”. This is, I believe, a hidden allusion to Christ. The sun represents the kingdom of heaven in the Person of the Lord. Man upon earth walks naturally in the light of the sun, so Christians walk in the light of heaven. Faith walks now in the light of the Lord. Thus the heavens declare the glory of God,

^[p. 76] and God has set a great moral light in heaven in order that man may walk on earth in that light. No one walks in light but he who is in the light of Christ. The light of the Lord is that in which the Christian walks. He is not doubtful about the way, he does not stumble, but knows where the way leads.

It is a great thing to see the heavens declaring God’s glory; but there is also the law of God on the earth. “The law of the Lord is perfect”. The law is God’s rule for man upon earth. Christ is the light in heaven, but the Spirit is down here; and the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit; so that you thus get clear of the confusion here, and instead of confusion have life and peace. All looks on to the time when the kingdom will be displayed, when the heavens will declare the glory of God publicly.

When the heavenly city comes down from God out of heaven it has the glory of God. The glory of God will be set forth from the heavens and the law of God established on earth, but all is true in principle to us now. Faith apprehends the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we see the glory of the Lord, and walk in the light of it. In Ephesians we read, “Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light”. The law of God is our rule for earth, the Spirit leads us in the path of God’s will, and there everything is perfect. It is a blessed thing to turn away from the confusion to the Lord, where there is no confusion at all. If we apprehend Jesus in the heavens, and the character of God’s law upon earth, we do not look at the confusion, but rejoice in that which is perfect. It is important to remember, that all that which we apprehend now will come out publicly in a later day. The glory of God will be displayed from the heavens in the heavenly city, and the law and testimony of God will be established here on earth. The time will come when it will be said even in Jerusalem, “Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”.

Psalm 119 shews the effect of the law written in the heart: the law of God becomes the rule of man; and so with us, as we have seen, the righteous require-merits of the law are fulfilled in those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Now, just a word about Psalm 20 and Psalm 21. Here we see faith recognising and following the interests of the king. In Psalm 20 we get the determination of trouble, and in Psalm 21 the end of enemies: both one and the other are true in resurrection, for there may be trouble up to the point of death, and enemies, too, but neither trouble nor enemies can go beyond death. So it was with Christ. He entered into the experience of trouble here; He had part in it, and was exposed to enemies, too, but neither trouble nor enemies could pass beyond death: they are powerless there.

You get the figure of this in Israel. The Egyptian was swallowed up in the Red Sea. Israel had both trouble and enemies up to the Red Sea, but at the other side of the Red Sea there were neither; and so if you can carry your thought on to Christ in resurrection there are neither trouble nor enemies to be seen.

Christ had sorrow: He could say, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death”; but in John 20 He speaks to the disciples beyond sorrow and enemies. He is risen from the dead and is outside of trouble and enemies; so far as we are concerned, in the world we have tribulation and enemies; the Lord predicted that, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”, but if we apprehend what it is to be risen with Christ we are in a scene outside of trouble and enemies. They do not invade there.

It is a wonderful thing that it is possible for saints to reach such a point. It is a point which faith is ^[p. 78] privileged to reach now. When death has been swallowed up in victory, and God has established things on earth on the platform of resurrection, there will be neither trouble nor enemies occurrent; but Christ is outside them now.

The first thing is to recognise the King, and then to be identified with the interests of the King. We are in association with Christ, and in association with Him we reach the scene where there is neither trouble nor enemies. “Ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead”. That is the place:

“In Him we stand a heavenly band;
Where He Himself is gone”. (12:2)

That is, we are brought into the worshipping company, associated with Christ, and pass outside the reach of trouble and enemies, though we may have to encounter them in our individual path here.

The apostle exhorted the saints in his day that they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. It is not God’s way that we should escape tribulation in the world. The world is a scene for faith, where we have to meet enemies, those who will not admit the rights and claims of Christ; but where Christ is, in resurrection, and in our recognition of Him there, you pass outside the world. May God lead us into the consciousness of association with the One to whom He has given life for evermore. “He asked life of thee and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever”.

Now I pass on to Psalm 22, and its character is, I may say, entirely different from the preceding ones of which I have spoken. In verse 22 it says, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee”; then in verse 25: “My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him”.

In Psalm 20 and Psalm 21 you do not find the Lord ^[p. 79] Himself speaking: it is faith that recognises the King. “Jehovah answer thee in the day of trouble”. That is what faith says: it is the Spirit of God in the saints. “The king shall joy in thy strength, Jehovah; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips”. The Psalm speaks about the glory and honour of the King, but it is not the King that is speaking. In Psalm 22 Christ is the speaker. The first twenty-one verses are the rehearsal of His sufferings, but afterwards we get what He announces in resurrection; the place which He Himself takes. He first records His experience in the sufferings, and then announces the place which He could take only in resurrection. Everything depends upon the platform of resurrection: otherwise it is impossible to get outside of trouble and enemies. As I said the first twenty-one verses are the rehearsal of sufferings, but afterwards all is in the light of resurrection.

Now it is remarkable that this should have been predicted. These psalms were written hundreds of years before Christ came, but they present such marvellous detail, and give us the place which Christ is pleased to take in resurrection. We get largely fulfilled in the New Testament what was spoken of prophetically in the Old, and the platform on which everything of the Old Testament was to rest is resurrection. All God’s ways looked on to it. Satan has power up to the point of death, but when death is swallowed up in victory Satan will be bound; there will be an end of trouble. We pass out of death into life as quickened together with Christ, associated with Him, joined to Him who is raised up from the dead.

A point of importance in this psalm is, that the seed of Jacob and of Israel are not mentioned until after the assembly. “Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear ^[p. 80] him, all ye the seed of Israel”, that verse brings in the seed of Jacob and of Israel, but in the statement in verse 22 there is no allusion to them. I have no doubt whatever that the first part of verse 22 was fulfilled in John 20 when the Lord sent the message by Mary to the disciples, “Go to my brethren and say unto them: I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God”. The Father’s name was declared. Jesus had said previously “I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them” (chapter 17: 26); but in chapter 20 the Name is declared in resurrection, and Jesus sends Mary with the announcement to His brethren.

The Father’s name was declared in order that the disciples might come under the Father’s love, “That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them”. Christ Himself was to have a place in that company. If the Father’s love was not there, Christ could not be there. It would be impossible for Christ to be in any circle in which the Father’s love was not, but the Father’s love being in that company, He can be there.

In the midst of His own the Lord declared the Father’s name, and there was no Gentile there; but the Spirit of God in the psalm leaves room for the Gentile. In Hebrews 2, where this verse 22 of Psalm 22 is quoted, we are told that God is bringing many sons to glory. Had it been Jews only, it would have been few, not many; therefore I judge that room is left for the Gentile. We see this also in John 10. Jesus says, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold”.

It is very interesting to see in John 10 the successive designations under which the Lord speaks of Himself: the Shepherd of the sheep; the door of the sheep; the good Shepherd; then the one Shepherd. He was ^[p. 81] the Shepherd and had entrance into the fold; He is the door, that the sheep may enter in and be saved, may go in and out and find pasture. He is the good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, and then He is the one Shepherd when the Gentile is brought in. In Psalm 22: 22, as we have seen, room is left for the Gentile, “God is bringing many sons to glory”. And now nothing can be more affecting than to think that Christ should identify Himself with our praises.

Faith identifies itself with the King in the midst of trouble and of enemies, but in Psalm 22 the Lord identifies Himself with the praises of the church. “In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee”, Hebrews 2: 12.

You see the same thing in principle when the Lord was on earth; we read that they sang a hymn, and so He took His part in their praises. Thus it is in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee. It is His pleasure to identify Himself with the praises of His people. He has declared the Father’s name, that the Father’s love may be in the saints, and now He identifies Himself with their praises. He is in the midst, and must be in the midst, being what He is. You may say that He is Leader of the praises, but my point is, that in the midst of the church He will sing praise. It is His place. In the assembly there is not only the Father’s love, but I in them. He will have His place. It shews the place which the church has in the mind of Christ.

The church is the first thing that comes out on the platform of resurrection. This passage does not carry your mind on to heaven. The Psalm brings into view Christ’s sufferings and resurrection, which is the true ground of the church. “Ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead”. This is God’s mind for every saint.

^[p. 82] It is not a question of attainment. Resurrection will come to pass by the power of God; but with us now it is a question of the apprehension of the mind of God in regard of saints. If you apprehend His mind, you are risen together with Christ, and why? In order that in the midst of the church He may sing praise unto God: that we might form the worshipping company around Himself.

Now we get an appeal to the house of Jacob and Israel. They are called upon to praise and fear the Lord. In verse 24 you get the statement in regard to Christ. “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard”. This is followed by: “My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation”, etc.

When Christ was here He declared God’s righteousness in the great congregation and His faithfulness. He did not conceal God’s righteousness and His faithfulness within His heart. Alas! we often do; though we know something of the righteousness and faithfulness of God, it is very much shut up within us; but not so with the Lord: He declared it in the great congregation; that was the ministry of the Lord here; but the great congregation was not concerned to know the righteousness and faithfulness of God. The Jews were disposed to go on with their own puerilities, and had no concern for the knowledge of God.

I cannot conceive a greater proof of the ruin of man than his carelessness in regard of the knowledge of God. What can be such profound blessing as the knowledge of God? If anybody were to question me as to the greatest blessing I possess, I should answer, It is the knowledge of God. Though my knowledge of Him may be very limited, yet it is the one thing in which I can boast.

^[p. 83] Christ on earth declared the righteousness and faithfulness of God in the great congregation. The Epistle to the Romans is the declaration to us of God’s righteousness and faithfulness. In time to come will be fulfilled, “I will praise thee in the great congregation”. Christ has never done so yet, because the time has not come for it; but when God works in the house of Jacob and Israel, when their interests are bound up with the King, then will be fulfilled: “I will pay my vows before them that fear him”. We find the Lord in this psalm speaking of all that would come to pass on this blessed platform of resurrection, where neither trouble, enemies, nor evil would have place. The Lord is free to declare the place He would take, first in the church, and afterwards in the great congregation: that is what you find here.

Now, I ask, have we apprehended that in our coming together in assembly? On the one hand, we are risen with Christ, quickened with Him; and on the other, it pleases Christ to identify Himself with the company. The Father’s love is there because His name is declared, and Christ’s love is there.

I wish we could get hold of the thought of what the assembly is to Christ, what it is in His eye and in the eye of the Father. It is really of the Father. Everything that is enduring is of the Father. Christ was of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and the church is of the Father. The church has come forth in that way, built up of those drawn of the Father to Christ.

To understand these things needs divine teaching, for it is only God who can instruct us in His love, and He brings us under the new covenant that we may be thus instructed, that we may know the love of God.

Christ will, in time to come, join us with Himself in the kingdom. If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him, but now He joins Himself with us in praises to God. May God give us to understand ^[p. 84] better the wonderful grace of the Lord Jesus, and His satisfaction and pleasure in identifying Himself with His people here, that in the midst of them He may sing praise unto God. If you do not understand that, you do not understand the privilege of the assembly.

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