PRIESTHOOD (3)
[p. 502] PRIESTHOOD (3)
2 Samuel 2:1; 2 Samuel 6:12 - 23
JT One of the scriptures read yesterday afternoon was in 1 Samuel 30 and did not come into view in our reading. It seems as if we should dwell a little on it before proceeding to the second book. It says: “And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, Bring near to me, I pray thee, the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod near to David. And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he said to him, Pursue; for thou shalt assuredly overtake them and shalt certainly recover” (verses 7,8). It is needful to get the full benefit of this inquiry to comment on the circumstances under which priesthood in David showed itself. This one is well-known, the capture of Ziklag by the Amalekites. The burning of it and the capture of the families of David and his men, occasion great distress. “David was greatly distressed”, and it says, “Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep”.
There are certain psalms that are called historical psalms and each psalm sets out the priestly exercises of David in the particular circumstance. These psalms are suggestive of how believers progress in priesthood, God allowing occurrences in our histories which are intended to bring out what is effected in us. The historical psalms serve to show David’s exercises. There is no psalm written on this incident but it is one of the most trying of David’s life. In no other instance is it said that there was weeping until there was no more power to weep. There is no doubt that in each of our histories, circumstances of this kind have arisen and David’s action here is an example for us. “But David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”. Instead of [p. 503] being overwhelmed by the sorrow, he has recourse to God. He finds refuge in God. It is not that God encouraged him exactly, although He is the God of all encouragement, but David encouraged himself. He “strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”, and in that encouragement he calls for Abiathar to bring the ephod; as if God looks for the power of recovery in ourselves in these circumstances, and then being thus in the encouragement in a priestly condition so as to speak to God.
EHT It seems as if there is a good deal of the government of God seen in this incident. How do you connect that at the present time?
JT That is important. He is where he should not have been and God allowed this to happen.
EHT In a governmental way?
JT I think so, and to bring out an example for us as to the exercise of priesthood. Such things happen to us — they are constantly happening.
EGMcA Just how is priesthood exercised in connection with such an incident as this? As has been remarked, he was under the government of God and greatly distressed, but he “strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”. We seem to have an idea that priesthood is largely connected with service to God or on man’s behalf, but how does priesthood come into function in a case of deep exercise?
JT It seems as if before drawing near to God, the strength is there. A priest is not a man overwhelmed with grief. A priest overwhelmed with grief has no title to enter the sanctuary.
GAT You do not get a priest committing suicide.
JT A suicide would be a man that is overwhelmed in circumstances like this. There is no strength in him, no means of self-revival. This brings out what one who knows God is able to do — he strengthens himself. In Leviticus 10 we are told that we are not to be in grief; we are not to uncover our heads. A terrible thing happened in Aaron’s house. His two sons were slain under the government of God but he was not to be affected. That requires great power in the soul.
JD Would Phinehas, in Numbers 25:7, be a good example of one who considered for God? He took a javelin in his hand and smote the man of Israel and the Midianitish woman.
JT That is excellent. That is where priesthood was fully expressed at that time. And Jehovah says: “And he shall have it, and his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” (verse 13).
JD Is it the same priesthood in the book of Malachi?
JT I think so — the covenant of righteousness and peace. This power over our circumstances is a great matter to have before us. We are not to enter the sanctuary full of grief or overwhelmed with our circumstances. There is the power of recovery in the christian having the Spirit. David did it himself. God helps us wonderfully but there is this power of getting up; as it were, “Arise, and take up thy couch and walk”, Mark 2:9.
SMcC In 2 Corinthians 6:4 - 6, the apostle says “... in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits, in stripes, in prisons ... in the Holy Spirit”. Would the light of the priesthood in connection with one’s circumstances be maintained in connection with this expression — “in the Holy Spirit”?
JT That is a good word. There is always the means of getting up.
JB Would not Psalm 27 be the expression of a man strengthening himself: “Jehovah is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Then in verse 14: “Wait for Jehovah; be strong and let thy heart take courage: yea, wait for Jehovah”.
JT That bears out what we are saying, that if [p. 505] we study the historical psalms we shall see how a spiritual man viewed things in crises, in pressures, in disasters.
GWH Is this Roman territory?
JT I think so.
GWH Is this the rising point, the beginning of the rising with David?
JT Yes. This is horizontal territory. After this you have the rising territory, the upper regions. He ascends in the next book. It refers to ascension: “Shall I go up ... ?” 2 Samuel 2:1. Everything on the horizontal line has to be adjusted before we can move up, and this chapter is that. In the beginning of the next book he abides two days at Ziklag before he does anything. “And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David abode two days in Ziklag”, 2 Samuel 1:1. These would be reflective days after the disaster and the victory, as if to consolidate the victory in his soul. He would look abroad on the charred city and the wives and children all restored, and say, ‘What has God done!’ And what He has done He will do again!
EHT Have you in mind that David could encourage himself in the Lord by the accumulation of spiritual wealth?
JT He had accumulated wealth in his soul. The previous experience stood him in good stead now. What God has been in the past, He will be to me now.
EGMcA In his own soul’s experience he would draw upon the treasures that were put into the treasury.
JT That is right. The believer himself is the treasury.
GAT He was constantly in touch with Jehovah and would not move without Jehovah’s instructions.
JT In all the passages, we read that he moved in the light of the answers to his prayers.
GAT Is it possible for us to have the mind of God as he had?
JT That is what it is written for. What strikes [p. 506] you is the accuracy with which he moved after he received an answer. He had no second thoughts, no doubts about it. He was sure of his ground.
JD It speaks of David’s distress in chapter 30, “for the people spoke of stoning him”. It would look as if David was alone here. He is an example for us in most trying circumstances. You might have your brethren absolutely against you at this point.
JT Something befalls you and the brethren say, ‘We knew he was not going on well’. It is sad enough to be suffering under the government of God but when the brethren turn on you, that adds to it keenly. This position here is distinctive of himself. In spite of all that, he strengthens himself. I do not think one is really a priest characteristically except as strengthened. The strength that he acquires from God leads inward — you draw near. We see it later in chapter 12 of the next book. He lay on the ground until the child died and when he died, he arose and anointed himself. He accepted the thing. He had strength in the humble acceptance of the government of God. He had strength to enter the house of God and worship.
EGMcA I like your remark that there is that in every believer by which he can recover himself to God. Of course it goes along the line of our brother’s reference to 2 Corinthians 6: “in the Holy Spirit”. There is a sense in which, independent of my brethren, I can be recovered to full priestly feelings in myself. I believe it would cast us much more individually upon God.
JT Then we have power with others.
GWH Is this 2 Corinthians 1:8,9? “We were excessively pressed beyond our power, so as to despair even of living. But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead”.
JT That corresponds in a negative way; first that the apostle had the sentence of death in himself. I have no doubt that David had too. No doubt he would feel; ‘I have been away from my wives and children, and this has happened. I have been neglectful’. Paul had the sentence of death in himself; he had a true estimate of himself in it all.
EHT Does he not show great wisdom?
JT Yes, wonderful; getting down before God and weeping until he has no more power to weep. He is the great weeper in Scripture. He exceeded Jonathan.
GAT Did this discipline come upon him on account of the place in which he found himself?
JT He was with the enemy — in a false position really.
GAT On that account the Lord allowed this to come upon him?
JT No doubt. Paul had the sentence of death in himself He would say he deserved it. It is when you get down low like that that God comes in. The strengthening of himself in his God is a point to be noticed because that is priestly power. He does not take on the ephod weeping, that is not suitable at all. A priest, according to Leviticus 10, is not to be weeping; he is to be there in a priestly way, suitable to God. David calls for the ephod as if he is now putting on a formal priestly attitude before God. The idea of the sanctuary is that I am there suitably. God never gives up His rights whatever my circumstances might be.
GAT God allowed this to come upon him to restore him to his proper place.
JT He becomes greater through it. He is very considerate of others. He considers for those who stayed behind with the stuff.
EGMcA “... in pressure thou hast enlarged me”, Psalm 4:1.
JT That is the thought. So that he abides two days before moving. The first chapter of the next book shows what right feelings he had in regard to Saul and Jonathan. He had no bad feelings about them.
GAT That is a hard [p. 508] test.
JT It is a mark of triumph. One is superior to feelings regarding one’s bitterest enemies, and that is what the first chapter of the second book means. Ziklag is the great adjusting point. “Who shall ascend into the mount of Jehovah? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath blameless hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3,4) — clean hands and able to lift them up in a priestly way.
SMcC The word ‘Ziklag’ means the ‘overflowing of a fountain’. It would bear out what has been said in regard to the way he considered for his enemies.
JT It would.
JWD One can strengthen oneself; one has control in a priestly way over oneself.
JT That is right. The first chapter of the second book is very instructive in that sense as developing out of abiding at Ziklag. It is Roman territory. Romans is the great adjusting epistle before I begin to ascend. It really admits me to Ephesians.
GWH It is said of Job that he prayed for his three friends. Is that to take place in the life of each of us before we ascend?
JT That helps as to the subject in hand. It says: “And Jehovah turned the captivity of Job, when he had prayed for his friends” (Job 42:10), showing how God regards priesthood in that way.
Ques When David abides two days at Ziklag, would there be something worked out in his own soul?
JT That is what is meant. The two days would be meditation. He made decided gain in his soul. As we know God, and strengthen ourselves in God, He gives us victories and we make definite gain. Then the question is, ‘Can I hold what I gain?’ The word ‘consolidate’ became very much used in the late war — consolidated territory. It means that the results of the victories are not snatched away from me; the enemy is ready to snatch the victories if I am not watchful.
Ques How do I hold that [p. 509] territory?
JT It is in meditation. David would wish to get away from the place of his weeping, the loss of his wives, and all that, but he stayed there and I believe he consolidated the position. He never lost his ground.
JD Would it be of help to say a word about the two days in Ziklag and the two days the Lord waited in John 11?
JT The two days are perfected exercise. The two is adequate testimony that the thing is taking effect. The two days that the Lord waited were sufficient in regard of the matter in hand, because the point was not that anything was going on in the Lord’s own soul; the point was the Lord was going on to Bethany. In Luke when they say to Him, “Lord, behold here are two swords”, He replies, “It is enough”, Luke 22:38. Two is enough for the point in question.
EGMcA Would the exhortation of Paul to Timothy be consolidation: “Occupy thyself with these things; be wholly in them, that thy progress may be manifest to all”, 1 Timothy 4:15.
JT Quite so. Timothy was a man of that kind.
GAT How can I overcome a feeling which I may have towards my brother?
JT What we are engaged with now helps as to that — a knowledge of God, finding strength to call for the ephod and drawing near to God. When you get inside you find that God is not holding anything against His enemies. Christ died for us when we were enemies; that is what we see in the blood on the mercy-seat.
EGMcA “If therefore thine enemy should hunger, feed him”, Romans 12:20.
JT That is the sequel. That is, the chapter begins with: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God”. It is the compassions of God.
GAT I have known those verses for quite a while.
JT It is a question of the knowledge one has of God and getting inside.
EGMcA “David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”, not that God strengthened him but that he strengthened himself. A knowledge of God is what does it. My knowledge of God underlies all these actions.
GAT Psalm 73 says he was envious of the wicked, but when he entered the sanctuary he saw their end.
JT Everything is clear there. That is the thought.
Ques After the two days of waiting at Ziklag, would the company not get the gain of what David went through in his own soul there?
J.T. What company there?
Rem I thought that he had recovered all in chapter 30, and would it not suggest that he is in the midst of a recovered company at Ziklag? He is getting the gain of all he is going through, and so would they.
JT It says: “And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David abode two days in Ziklag. And it came to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his garments rent”. No doubt these men were there and they would get the gain of him for he was in a wonderful state with God, having gone through all this, but the point is, how is he going to think of his enemies? Does he retain his animosity? Did he ever have any? It would seem that he did not have any animosity towards Saul. Now that Saul has gone and he can speak freely, what are his feelings? On the third day this man comes to him out of the camp from Saul. “And David said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped”. Does he rejoice when he hears of Saul’s death? No, he does not, because of the anointing. How sorrowful a thing that is — “The shield of Saul, as not anointed with oil” (verse 21). We should look at the brethren in that light — they are anointed.
JD In connection with hard feelings in one’s breast, do you think that what lies behind the state of [p. 511] forgiveness is that you have secret soul history with God? David would never forget the slaying of the lion and the bear, and these other steps we have outlined in his path. All that is secret soul history with God.
JT That is right. It is cumulative and it stood him in good stead. Then this great disaster happens.
EGMcA In chapter 2:3 it says: “And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron”. They profited by this experience with David.
JT Surely. The first chapter is to bring out David himself All this is seen in the man that is exhibiting priestly power.
GAT Do you get that in the spirit of Jesus when He was dying? He had no feeling against His enemies.
JT That is the thought. The song of the bow in the book of Jasher is to bring out this upright man, the kind of man that goes up, that speaks well of his enemies; not simply because they were friends of his but because they were anointed. It is the brethren viewed as taken on by God. You cannot but be sorrowful when you hear of one of the children of God walking in a worldly way. You cannot but be sorrowful, because he belongs to God.
EHT Was David keeping the feast of unleavened bread, so that he could lay aside all malice?
JT That is right. He would go over the ground: Why was I so foolish as to go off with the Philistines like that and leave everything? He exposed the heritage. It belonged to the kings of Judah. It was important and he exposed it to the enemies.
JB Hebron was given to Caleb and his sons.
JT That came out in Joshua.
JB David is told to go there.
JWD This idea of teaching the children of Judah the song of the bow: is it that David considered what Saul and Jonathan were potentially, or what they might have [p. 512] been?
JT I suppose the song of the bow here, whilst it brings out the magnanimity of David, his liberality and his generous spirit toward his enemies, also brings out the failure of Saul and his son. Why should they be there?
JWD They are being taught there.
JD Would it suggest long-distance warfare?
JT That is the idea. The song of the bow would mean that the enemy had better weapons. Why should Israel be at a disadvantage in their weapons? That question arises earlier, in chapter 13 of the first book. Israel was dependent on the Philistines for their weapons of war. It all came out under Saul.
JWD I thought David carried Saul and Jonathan in his heart’s affections in this way although literally they were far from it; what they were, in spite of being his enemies.
JT He thought of the bright side, did he not? You look back on your knowledge of the brethren, even though they turn against you, you think of what they were — something of God there and certainly a place in the anointing.
Ques Is the thought of feelings a settled matter with David? Is it a lament when he says, “How are the mighty fallen, and the instruments of war perished!” 2 Samuel 1:27.
JT I think the brethren ought to take notice of that. That is a reflection on Saul’s whole history, the kind of weapons he used. “The instruments of war perished”. But David’s instruments did not perish. He had an armoury. The sword of Goliath that he took from him was kept behind the ephod, wrapped up. David says, I want that — that is the best. That is never said to have perished. All that is over against Saul’s weapons, and the song of the bow is to remind us of the need of right instruments of war or we shall be defeated. So that we have the armour of God in Ephesians: “Put on the panoply of God”, Ephesians 6:11.
[p. 513] The first thing is to be girded about the loins with truth, then to put on the breastplate, etc. Then we are to have the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and which is an aggressive weapon. The others are defensive but the sword of the Spirit is the word of God.
JD Were the weapons of Saul’s warfare carnal?
JT In the main, yes.
EGMcA Saul’s weapons were used in a dishonourable way whereas David’s were always used for the help of the people of God. “For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, as not anointed with oil”. A disgraceful place in which to be found!
JT Quite so. David had had to do with the lion and the bear, and when he is to approach Goliath, he would not rely on Saul’s armour. He had the shepherd’s bag with the five smooth stones. They represent the word of God — they were taken out of the brook.
GWH These two days at Ziklag were very important days. Would there be a complete review of the path with David and everything cleared so that now he ascends?
JT Yes. It is well to clear things up in our lives, in our inward exercises, before proceeding further. Ziklag is a point reached, a landmark, and I want to consolidate this position. That would mean I look around. He is tested on the third day by the messenger to exercise his natural feelings, but he is equal to it. The next time it is, “Shall I go up?” He is not going to use his own will and take advantage of the death of Saul, he is going to move in a priestly way. He would not say, ‘Now is my opportunity; the enemy is dead and I will get the throne’. But no, ‘What shall I do next?’ That is the thing.
GAT What about this messenger? What kind of brother would [p. 514] he be?
JT He is an Amalekite. It says that David said to him, “Whence art thou?” David had raised that question in 1 Samuel 30:13, and the young man says there: “I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite”, but here the man says, “I am an Amalekite”. Then it says: “And the young man that told him said, I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called to me. And I said, Here am I. And he said to me, Who art thou? And I said to him, I am an Amalekite. He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me; for anguish has seized me; for my life is yet whole in me. So I stood over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord”. This is the story of a man in the flesh. He is excusing himself in a way when he says, “I knew that he would not live”. When David hears his story it says, “Then David took hold of his garments and rent them; and all the men that were with him did likewise. And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword”. That is very beautiful I think, spiritually. This young man is just a natural young man and he is thinking to get some advantage in taking the crown to David. David says: “Whence art thou? And he said, I am the son of an Amalekite stranger. And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah’s anointed? Then David called one of the young men and said, Draw near, and fall on him. And he smote him that he died. And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah’s anointed”.
[p. 515] All that is to bring out David spiritually, what he thought of the anointed.
GAT What a contrast there is between this young man and the apostle Paul when he placed the bundle of sticks on the fire. This man put the fire out.
JT He had no sense of what he was dealing with.
JD There does not seem to be much order in his steps. He says, “I happened by chance”. It is not at all like the Samaritan in Luke 10. He was not there by chance.
EGMcA You made a remark that any brother who got out of line would cause sorrow to the hearts of all his brethren. It says in verse 12: “And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword”. The death of those two men caused sorrow to the whole interest of God on earth.
JT This is a great spiritual lesson, because it looks as if the young man was rightly dealt with. I have to see the spirituality that underlies all this. It is the king of Israel that is slain, and his son. No one except a natural man could fail to be affected by such happenings, even though the persons are his enemies.
WB Would you connect the anointing with the sovereignty of God?
JT It is God’s side. It is God committing Himself.
WB So you would respect God’s sovereignty in the anointing.
JT What does God feel? He has just taken me up and He has to deal judicially with me. How does He feel about it? The exigencies of His nature require that He deal with me. He had to deal with Adam and Eve.
JD Looking at Saul as representative of the ecclesiastical system, one can see that God has used such men in the past; and if at the end of their days they drop down, you would feel grief, would [p. 516] you not?
JT Just so. You cannot but be sorry; there are many such.
EHT How must God feel about it?
JT God has a heart. “It grieved him in his heart”, Genesis 6:6. He was sorry. There are the exigencies of His majesty and of His throne. If Adam fails and if Eve fails, He has to deal with them judicially but He feels it nevertheless. He is grieved. He has put His flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.
EGMcA Priestly feelings enter largely into the Care meeting.
JT If they do not, you will have hard judgments reached.
Rem This young man, had he understood David at all or learned from him, would not have thought of doing this.
JT Just so. He represents the natural element in us. If you see that, you will recognise that David’s action was right.
JD Speaking of God’s heart, it says in Hosea 11:8, “My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together”.
JT I think He is often grieved for His people.
Now in chapter 2 we see the thought of ascension that came into his mind. “And it came to pass after this that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” He might have said, ‘Shall I go into one of the cities of Judah’, but he says, “Shall I go up?” God says, “Go up”. God uses the same word. “And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron”. Hebron is full of history, and would suggest great things to a spiritual man like David. What does Hebron mean? There are the tombs of the men of faith there. It is a priestly city, too, a levitical city. It was an elevated city — about three thousand feet up. All these things would affect David, I am sure, and they were intended to. A flood [p. 517] of spiritual thoughts is introduced by Jehovah in naming Hebron.
SWP Is that why David let God name the city?
JT God’s choice is best. That is Colossians — God saying to you now, I am going to bring you into another world.
GWH Is it Colossians 1?
JT It is not yet heaven but it is necessary for us to get the idea of another world.
FRA Is this similar to what Hannah says, “He bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up”, 1 Samuel 2:6?
JT He was brought down to Sheol at Ziklag, and now he is going up. Hebron is outside of the world, it is an out-of-the-world condition of things — not the definite end of God but out of this world.
GAT “Have your mind on the things that are above”, Colossians 3:2.
SWP It is not the Ephesian position?
JT It is on the way to it. David is seven and a half years here (chapter 2:11), showing how long I have to be there to learn the heavenly side of things.
GWH Why does Colossians begin with prayer?
JT That helps, does it not? The epistle was written by Paul because of the exercise of Epaphras, that they might “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God”, Colossians 4:12. You have reached a point that you are not going to surrender.
EHT It is wonderful what David took up with him.
JT You are referring to verse 2: “So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron”.
JD Speaking of Colossians, would you say a few words on that as to the true christian position there?
JT You get that properly in chapter 2. He begins by saying that he is combating for them. That is what [p. 518] we are dealing with. Prayer has a great place in it but the word ‘combat’, which is peculiar to Colossians, in this setting, is used because of the terrible influence against you at this juncture to keep you out of the heavenly land. So he begins by telling them: “For I would have you know what combat I have for you, and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh; to the end that their hearts may be encouraged, being united together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God; in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge”, Colossians 2:1 - 3. That is a matter of prayer on his part, that the saints might know that they do not need to go out of their circumstances for the knowledge of the mystery of God. Then it goes on to circumcision — the total putting away of the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ. Then there is no need of philosophers and the like. All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily towards them, and they are complete in Him towards God: “and ye are complete in him”, Colossians 2:10. Then “buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead”, Colossians 2:12. Then they are quickened with Him. They are on the way to Canaan, not yet in it; they are at Gilgal. The twelve stones at Gilgal mean they are up out of death through faith in the power of God. They are quickened, too, in association with Christ there.
JD I was wondering as to the intelligence of the Colossians there. Do you think the apostle is speaking with the priestly feelings that he had, having been stirred by the report from Epaphras, when he says, “In which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead”. Would that be subjective knowledge?
JT It is a question of faith in the operation of God. The quickening is a subjective thing. It is not by faith,
[p. 519] it is actual. That is the work of God, and made to correspond with the position that I have laid hold of by faith. In chapter 3 I can set my mind on things above; I have power to do that.
JD The same character of faith as in Romans 5? So in Colossians it would be on the same principle.
JT It is through faith of the working of God that raised Christ.
GWH Is the second chapter largely negative?
JT Quickening is a positive thing; it is taking a person out of one position and putting him into another. It is the “faith of the working of God”, Colossians 2:12. The working of God implies that the waters of Jordan were driven back, so we are in the assembly free of death. There would be affection and intelligence suitable to the position.
JD “Which he wrought in the Christ in raising him from among the dead”, Ephesians 1:20.
JT Yes. It runs on to setting “him down at his right hand in the heavenlies”. Colossians does not take us that far.
GWH Are we in Joshua 5 here? Israel encamped in Gilgal and held the passover in the plains of Jericho. Then in verse 11 they ate the old corn of the land.
JT Yes, it is what has been called entering; not exactly having entered. It is the process of entering in Colossians.
EHT Translation is the objective; would quickening be the subjective?
JT Quite so. We are brought into that realm by faith.
Ques Is the principle of David asking if he shall go up seen in Caleb when he said: “And now give me this mountain, of which Jehovah spoke in that day”, Joshua 14:12?
JT Yes. We see how the energy of Caleb enters into this position of David. He would be acquainted [p. 520] with all that surrounded Hebron because the history of Caleb centred in Hebron.
Rem He had the whole position. He desired the mountain but Joshua gave him Hebron for an inheritance.
WB It is the place where Samson carried the gates of Gazah.
JT All that enters into this.
SMcC In 1 Chronicles 12, Jehoiada and Zadok are specially mentioned. They are priestly men.
JT Great numbers came from all the tribes, but those two men are mentioned by name, showing that it is the priestly thought. Perhaps we have not associated priesthood with Colossians much because it is a gentile epistle. It is particularly a gentile epistle, but the priesthood is there just as much as in Hebrews. Epaphras is the great priest. Paul wrote the letter and he says, “For I would have you know what combat I have for you”.
Ques Is there not a marked contrast with Eli in the way David received this message? He had priestly power to move on.
JT That is good. Eli fell back and broke his neck. That priesthood must go. It does not answer to God.
GWH Say a word about the manna and the victuals and the old corn of the land.
JT The victuals allude to the position, meaning there was great strength needed for the journey across. Some of us were noticing not long since that Jehovah says: “remember now what Balak ... consulted ... from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Jehovah”, Micah 6:5. Shittim was the last wilderness encampment. The journey from there was an arduous one and hence the need for food to support them in it, and in the lodging, too, before they actually crossed over.
GWH Crossing the Jordan was a great act. It requires special [p. 521] strength for death.
JT You need strength to die.
GWH Do you mean death in the present sense?
JT One has to face the thing. The next point after Shittim is the Jordan. You come to death. “How wilt thou then do in the swelling of the Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5. The point is, What shall I do in the swelling of Jordan? What will God do in the swelling of Jordan? The ark was in the Jordan until the people passed over. The apostle says, “But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver”, 2 Corinthians 1:9,10. He had the sentence of death in himself.
JD Would Jacob help? He gathered up his feet in bed and expired.
JT He died in power.
GAT The Lord died with a loud voice.
JT That is the idea. The Lord in John’s gospel died Himself.
FRA What does it mean, “... have your mind on the things that are above ...”, Colossians 3:2? What are the things?
JT It is right to say Jesus is there. Stephen looks in and sees the glory of God (that is one of the things), and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He is the central thought. At the Jordan you are intelligent; your mind is on heavenly things, “Things which eye has not seen, and ear not heard”, 1 Corinthians 2:9. You want to see them. Where are they? They belong to “that world, and the resurrection”, Luke 20:35. “Things ... above”, not ‘things in heaven’. I am learning to value what is morally elevated.
GWH Does the fear of death hold us from entering?
JT It does — the crossing of the Jordan. It is intended to bear on us in assembly where there is no water at all. There is no water seen.
EHT The journey from Shittim to Gilgal is a time [p. 522] of learning to set our minds on the things that are above.
JT That is it.
JD How do you view the loaf and the cup? You referred to Jordan as intended to affect us with a view to coming together in assembly.
JT The Lord’s supper properly belongs to the wilderness. Shittim would be the last encampment for that. They moved out of Shittim and came to Jordan. As entering into our assembly meetings, it would mean taking new ground after the partaking of the Supper. The great consideration and concern is to keep your place, that you do not go forward, that you do not get too near the ark; you are reverential — two thousand cubits is nearly three thousand feet.
SMcC So what follows that comment in Micah 6 is: “Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah ... ?”
JT That is where you learn to be reverential, you have respect for the ark. The ark going before is the love of Christ. “For the love of the Christ constrains us, having judged this: that one died for all, then all have died; and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised. So that we henceforth know no one according to flesh”, 2 Corinthians 5:14 - 16. All that enters into this. You learn to respect the ark — that He is alone there. He went ahead two thousand cubits. As soon as the priests’ feet touched the waters, they were driven back. “What ailed thee, thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou turnedst back?” Psalm 114:5. It is the presence of Jehovah. God is there in Jesus entering into death.
JD Is that thought present in your mind as you look at the loaf?
JT I think so.
WB The ark stood in the middle of the river and the people all passed it. They must have gone close to the ark at that time.
[p. 523] JT It is the power of Christ as regards death. Death is still publicly holding sway. The graveyards are not any less since the death of Christ than they were before. Death is on all men; people are not being raised, death is still here. So that the Jordan came back in all its force after the people had passed over. It is a faith position, the “faith of the working of God” Colossians 2:12. The quickening enables you to enjoy it — that you are in a deathless state of things on the principle of faith. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit here there could be nothing like that.
JD It does not say that Satan had its power, but he has its power.
EGMcA The word “annulled” would mean that it is just held powerless for the time.
JT That is the idea. It is annulled.
SMcC Would the quickening involve that it is not mere theory, but that it is real?
JT Quite so. If the Holy Spirit were not here, it would be only theory. Colossians has in mind not only the Spirit but the effect of the Spirit. The Spirit is mentioned only once — “your love in the Spirit”, Colossians 1:8. It is the thing that is effected in me in Colossians.
JB Quickening would be to live in the life of Christ.
JT It is a real thing. You have entered on new ground. In the power of the Spirit you are able to take up new ground and to enjoy the old corn which belongs to heaven.
EHT Could you cross over without being in the life of Christ?
JT It is in the life of Christ you cross over — that same life in which He came up.