SPIRITUAL CAPACITY
[p. 267] SPIRITUAL CAPACITY
2 Kings 2: 8 - 14; 2 Timothy 4: 13; Ruth 3: 15
These verses of Scripture present to us the idea of a mantle or cloak or general outer covering, and that is what I wish to speak of, such a garment having, as other garments in Scripture, a symbolical significance. Clothing has a great place in Scripture, the first to make clothing being God Himself, not for ornament but for covering; so that the thought is dignified in that way.
Clothing later came to take on the idea of ornament, representing also rank and office, as appears peculiarly in the book of Revelation; but it also especially suggests one’s measure, another important suggestion, for God is the God of measure, and whilst that includes the universe in its immensity, it also refers to persons particularly. That brings up what no doubt each of us has had before him, the necessity of knowing one’s measure; for, as constituted a part of an organism, each of us has to fit; the measure must be accurate otherwise he will be a misfit and practically excluded from the working out of the great organism of which we form part.
The apostle in writing to the Romans says that if we think of ourselves at all, we should “think so as to be wise”. “I say ... to every one that is among you, not to have high thoughts above what he should think; but to think so as to be wise, as God has dealt to each a measure of faith”, Romans 12: 3. Thus we shall find our place in the organism of which that chapter tells us, “we, being many, are one body in Christ”; not of Christ, but in Christ. We are dignified as having that status, and living outside the range of the ordinary thoughts of men.
Now, in thinking of the Lord Jesus we take account of the fact that He is of course beyond measure, as we have been singing:
“Upholder of the universe,
To Thee as God we bow”.
Yet, while He is the Inscrutable, He has come into our view and into our way of thinking, in great compression,
[p. 268] and, as contemplating the facts stated in Scripture as to the humanity of Christ, we are impressed by the marvellous self-sacrifice involved in order that He might come within our range, and thus be compassable. The ark symbolises this great compression, for it was a small vessel. It speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity. Though small, the ark was said to be the power of God and the glory of God, Psalm 78: 61. The greatest thoughts attach to it.
That is what comes out in Elijah’s cloak. Elijah, who is a type of Christ in many respects, is seen here, like Him, exercising power over death. We are to be affected by the history of Elijah, a man who appeared without any introduction or previous announcement. He appears suddenly, and sets forth a man who can do things by himself, and that was pre-eminently seen in Jesus. Each of us has to understand the Lord in this way — a great matter in relation to the testimony of God. It is a question of what He can do. Elijah stood up and said, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word”. What a great thing to be able to say! He had it from God that it would be so, and it was so.
In regard to his mantle, it indicates the power that he had to attract people God-ward, an influence for good. He cast his mantle on Elisha, and Elisha followed him. He was influenced so that he had a great place with Elijah. I hope that Christ, through what I am saying, will have a greater place with every one of us. What Christ is, is what first touches a person in regard of Him. He said to the Jews that He was “Altogether that which I also say to you”. We have therefore the means of knowing what He is by what He says: He touches us in that way, as He touched Mary of Bethany. How the greatness of Christ flowed into her soul as she sat at His feet! and it increased. She was in the enjoyment of nearness to Him, and she was prepared for His death: “Against the day of my burying hath she kept this”, John 12: 7.
[p. 269] I want to show how love has had to say to death, for death was upon us; it stood as a great barrier between God and man, because all have sinned. Death is seen condensed at the cross, as seen in type in the Jordan, its power shutting us out from the greatest thoughts of God about us. So in the journey recorded here Elijah and Elisha came to the Jordan, and Elijah took his mantle and wrapped it together. Elisha does not do that, Elijah only did it. It refers to dealing with death by inherent power. Christ said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. That is John’s point of view. It is the inherent power of Christ over death, removing the greatest barrier that stands between us and God. Elijah, it says, “wrapped it together, and smote the waters”. That brings to our attention the measure of Christ — more than the measure of a man. No mere man could overthrow death, though a man might do a miracle in the power of God. Elijah uses the mantle, and it has its effect. There is no minimising the power of death, but “they [the waters] were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground”. It is an act of love. What Christ has done in this way should touch our hearts and attract us to Himself so that we follow Him. We are not content to be anywhere other than in His company. “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee”. What an attachment, figuring Christ and the saints passing over together. When they were gone over there is the expression, “as they went on, and talked”; it is a beautiful picture of association with Christ.
Now Elisha was to be left by Elijah. Being left to ourselves after such an expression of love and power brings out where we are; it brings out our measure, whether we have followed on and grown according to that mantle. “Ask what I shall do for thee” is the question. The Lord would like the very youngest brother or sister to ask what He should do for them; that is what is implied by Elijah’s remark. Elisha was to be left — a great crisis in his history! He knew what he [p. 270] would need as losing his great head, and Elisha is equal to it, and answers accordingly. Let it impress us also with the need of being equal to the occasion. God is great, you cannot ask too much. Elisha says, I would like to have a double portion of your spirit. What an appreciation he had of his master! The true disciple seeks no other spirit. Of the supply of it there is an abundance, and Elisha would have it. Elijah did not underrate the magnitude of the gift Elisha asked for. “Thou hast asked a hard thing”, he said. It was not a trivial entreaty; so he says, “If thou see me when I am taken from thee”; that was the test. You must see as I go up; you must get the idea of ascension. Many of us are content with resurrection, but there is the going up; resurrection is the expression of God’s power, but it is not the end of what He has in mind. Christ in heaven, and we conformed to Him there, is the end. He is the measure of the divine thought for us. He is now the measure of our sanctification. You must see me as I go up, Elijah indicated. As they were talking in the way, the chariot of fire separated them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the heavens. Elisha saw it and cried, “My father, my father! the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof!” That was his gift, so to speak; it conveyed the impression he received.
As you seek to serve you get some distinctive impression of Christ. That is what you need in the service which the Lord has for you. In the presence of the terrible state of things then existing in Israel that impression remained and increased to the end of Elisha’s days. Joash, the king, at Elisha’s deathbed uses the same words: “My father, my father! the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof!” 2 Kings 13: 14. Others get hold of the impression and so use it.
Here we read they were parted asunder. We have to experience Christ being parted from us. We have to stand on our own feet and use the power He used, as the apostle says, that the excellency of the power may be of God. He says “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”. You scorn any other power, you simply want the power of Christ. Elisha rends his clothes, this is a new start. You want other clothes, not exactly to put on, but to use spiritually as power. It is a question of appreciation of the power of Christ, not my own power. Elisha does not wrap the mantle together. It was not a question of inherent power in him, but a symbol of Christ’s power. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”. In this sense a young brother arrives at the point where he disallows his own ability and makes room for Christ.
I now want to pass on to Paul’s cloak; what I have said is linked up with it and the parchments and books that were left at Troas. Troas was a town of no little significance in the testimony. One of the most interesting occurrences took place there. On the first day of the week we, says the writer of the Acts, came together at Troas to break bread. What he further says indicates that as sitting down to break bread we must think of what is set forth in Paul’s cloak — we must have before us his ministry as governing the Lord’s supper. The instruction we have through him shows that its setting is in the assembly. Before they broke bread at Troas they listened to Paul’s discourse till midnight. That it was a discourse with power we may be assured. There is surely a spiritual connection between this significant occasion and the leaving of Paul’s cloak and the books in the house of Carpus in that town. He would think, we must assume, of Paul’s size spiritually and reflect too on the books he read. Think, young people, of the books that Paul read! He would not read novels! One of the most pernicious things which affect the young are these published untrue stories; they are full of corruption. Look at the titles of Paul’s books, see what they are. What did Paul read them for? Those are the suggestions. It was the particular books that he left at Troas with [p. 272] Carpus that the apostle wished to have at Rome. Can we not assume that Carpus would read them? Carpus means “fruit”, and would thus suggest an allusion to the result of the testimony of Paul. What I would mention in regard to Troas is the idea of potentiality.
What interests me at the present time peculiarly is the young. That is what Eutychus signifies, and he was resuscitated from the dead by the embrace of Paul. What an example of the power of christianity there! This young man, Eutychus, is taken away by those who cared for him. They brought away the boy alive, suggestive of how parents should look after their boys spiritually. He is now alive by the power of God through Paul, who discerned that as in his arms his life was in him. That life is to be nourished in the meeting at Troas. The suggestion is of great potentiality in the “boy alive” through Paul’s instrumentality.
All this links on with what I have been saying about Elijah and Elisha, the continuity of the testimony — generation after generation. The things thou hast heard of me, writes Paul to Timothy (two generations), the same commit thou to faithful men (three generations), who shall be able to teach others also (four generations). Paul’s measure, as it were, is carried on. It is carried down to us. The Spirit of God being here, these things are possible, the continuation of the very best results of the gospel.
It was left to Timothy peculiarly to bring those things and as he came, those things would not be omitted, Paul’s cloak, his books, and his parchments. Young brothers and sisters should read the Scriptures. It is said of Timothy that he knew them, from a child. How important to bring up the young to read the Scriptures! Fill their minds full of the Scriptures, and in due time results will be manifest. Then there are books which help us to understand the Scriptures; these should be read; also books containing the direct ministry of the Spirit. I believe the Lord would encourage us to build [p. 273] up wholesome libraries. Nevertheless we must attend to the Scriptures themselves, but as we are apt to read them in a perfunctory way, we are enjoined to search them. Philip said to the eunuch, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” He replied, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” Thus we may read and not understand, but the Spirit will guide and would use books to this end. Why should we not have the very best things to read? They do not cost much materially. There is divine provision for us in this sense and wisdom would lead us to use it.
This is a very simple incident, but it has a place in Scripture, and it has to be noted. Paul wanted the cloak and he wanted these books to read, then he wanted the parchments to write on — as it seems. The Spirit of God would not write this incident without some meaning in it for us.
Now as to Ruth. “Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it”, says Boaz. The cloak speaks of capacity. Young people have to cultivate capacity for the reception of divine things. Ruth had a remarkable history, a type of a young christian who becomes attached to the testimony through his or her mother or relatives. She begins that way, and then she becomes connected with Boaz, a man of wealth, and a man in family relationship to her. Christ stands in relationship to us as men; being a Man. He can take up that position, and as such He had the right of redemption. In exercising this right He would develop growth in the saints, and that is what takes place in this book of Ruth. Beautiful story, but beautiful spiritually too! In the passage read it shows a certain measure or capacity is looked for. This suggests what is gracious, what is considerate, and what is best for yourself.
Why all this experience, and why this development going on in relation to the man who had the right of redemption? He was engaging her, and he is raising the question, What is your capacity? You come to the meetings,
[p. 274] the Bible readings, and others, but what is your capacity for the things opened up? Do you receive them? The Corinthians, shallow though they were, had received the gospel, but the apostle says, I cannot say very much to you because your capacity is so small; they were not spiritual, 1 Corinthians 3: 1. We speak wisdom among the perfect, he says, but I cannot speak wisdom to you. The point is to judge and disallow carnal thoughts and ways, so that there might be capacity to receive and retain the truth. Ruth would see the size of her cloak, as Boaz in his bounty dealt six measures of barley into it. It is a question of growth and consequent spiritual capacity in view of our relationship with Christ. To the Romans the apostle says you have been made dead to the law that you should be to another (chapter 7: 4); it is that we should be to Christ. In addressing the Corinthians he says, “I have espoused you unto one man”, 2 Corinthians 11: 2. This involved that He should have their undivided attention and that there should be capability of intelligent response to Him.
Boaz then went into the city, chapter 3: 15. He is now about to enter into a great transaction. By application to ourselves, it is Christ securing us. If the assembly is to be the bride of Christ it must be great. It is a vessel of great capacity. It comes down out of heaven from God having the glory of God, also prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I submit that we should give attention to this thought of capacity or measure; that the young people might see that the Lord is looking for increase in receptive ability, so that we may fully answer to Him in understanding and affection, as taking in and feeding upon what is presented to us in the power of the Spirit; we are to become full grown and able to respond to Christ. In type, Ruth answers to this, and Boaz goes into the city and the marital transaction is completed. May God bless these thoughts to us.