LEADERSHIP
I wish to say a word as to leaders and those who are led. The expression which we have three times in Hebrews 13, “them which have the rule over you”, is simply “leaders”, and the exhortation is to “remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God”, those are past leaders—“and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith”. Then we are called upon to submit ourselves to our leaders (verse 17)—that is, our present leaders; and finally, we are called upon to salute our leaders (verse 24), involving that we have respect for them. So that the idea of leaders among the people of God is a right one, but evidently, if we are to submit ourselves to our leaders and salute them, we must be in a position to recognise them, to recognise those who have the moral features of leadership according to God. Leadership is something to be accepted by those whom the Lord places in that position; it is not something to be aspired to as giving importance to the person concerned. In point of fact it involves great responsibility, as verse 17 shows. It says, “they watch for your souls as they that must give account”, that is, the leaders must accept the responsibility before God of having to give account for the spiritual welfare of the saints. That is a very serious responsibility, so that no one should lightly assume to lead, or take it up from impure motives, or think that he is able to fill the position in any natural ability or qualifications. On the other hand, leadership is not to be neglected, for in Romans 12 one of the exhortations is to the one who leads, that he is to do it “with diligence”. Hence this matter of exercising leadership on the one hand, and of recognising our leaders on the part of the rest of us, is an important matter as being part of the divine provision for the spiritual welfare of God’s people. We recall that Barak says in his song, “for that leaders led in Israel, for that the people willingly offered themselves, bless Jehovah!” There was a crisis and the leaders came forward and led; leaders obviously should lead us; they are not leaders otherwise. The point in a crisis is that leaders should lead; but this has in view that the rest of us, those who are led, should willingly offer ourselves; that is, there is no failure to recognise and follow the lead given.
First of all we are called upon to “remember your leaders who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation”. We are to consider the issue of their conduct and to imitate their faith. Now that is a word for leaders as well as for those led, that if there is the speaking the word of God, there should be also a concern that the conduct should be in keeping with it, that the conduct supports and exemplifies what is ministered. Indeed, that is the true idea of leadership, that what is the mind of God is exemplified and set out before the saints by the one who leads, so that there is something which can be tangibly recognised and followed.
Then it says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever”. It is as though, whoever has been a true leader among the people of God, in whatever age he has led, the moral features which would mark him would be those that have been found inherently in the Man of God’s pleasure, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever”. It is a remarkable thing that that should be brought in at this point, where we are called upon to imitate the faith of our leaders, considering the issue of their conduct. I have read of Moses who was the great leader of God’s people in the wilderness; how much he appeared in the features of Jesus Christ, as I trust we may see in a moment. I just allude to it in passing: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever”, as though, whatever age is in question, God has always had a standard before Him of what is pleasing to Him in His people on the earth. When the Lord Jesus appeared among men there was set forth before the eyes of God, and those open to see it, what God could take pleasure in in His people as here in testimony to His name. So leaders all along, if they have been worthy of the name, have borne in some degree at least the features of Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
As regards the present, we are called upon to obey our leaders and to submit ourselves, for, it says, “they watch for your souls”. I wonder how often we take account of that, all the secret exercises which go on between our leaders and the Lord) in regard of the well-being of the saints. There may be the ministry, but what about the effects of it upon us? How far are we formed by it? All the ministry is intended to have results; that is clear from Ephesians 4, where we read of the Lord having given gifts “with a view to the work of the ministry, with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ; until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ”. What a stature! and yet all ministry has that in view. It has not simply in view our refreshing at the moment, although that may result incidentally; but all ministry has in view our arriving at the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, as though He is the great ideal before the mind of God, to the appreciation of whom in our souls we are to be brought; then to a certain measure of stature which is no less than “the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ”. So, if our leaders have spoken to us the word of God, they carry the secret exercises as to how far the saints are responding to what the Lord is saying, and we on our part are called upon to bear that in mind. “They watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you”. What an appeal that is!
Now all this is sobering for us, but the three-fold allusion in this chapter to leaders shows the important place that the idea of leadership has in connection with the spiritual prosperity of God’s people, and, if we are to recognise our leaders and submit ourselves to them, we need to recognise those who are marked by the features of spiritual leadership as given us in God’s word. Of course it is not everybody who takes the position of leadership who is a leader. There were those who followed Absalom in David’s day; he led, but he did not lead rightly. If those who followed Absalom in their simplicity had known the moral features proper to leadership, they would never have followed him. I read about Moses and Joshua in the book of Numbers because Moses is the great leader of God’s people in the wilderness, and Joshua was the great leader who led them into the land. So what the word of God says in regard to those leaders is worthy of consideration, both on the part of those whom the Lord may have set in some position of leadership, and also on the part of the rest of us, as enabling us to discern who really are leaders. May I just say again, for the sake of those who may have been put in this position, that sobering though the responsibility is, it has to be accepted; he who leads is to do it with diligence. The responsibility must be accepted and fulfilled. “He that leads, with diligence”.
Now in connection with Moses, the incident of Miriam and Aaron speaking against him gave occasion for Jehovah Himself to speak of Moses and intimate what He thought of him, and the great thing that He brings out in relation to Moses is that he was faithful in all God’s house. What a consideration that is. I have no doubt the allusion is largely to the faithfulness of Moses in connection with the construction and setting up of the tabernacle, for there was not a single item in connection with the tabernacle system which Moses ignored or neglected. That is an important matter as brought down to our day, that no feature of assembly life or service should be neglected amongst us, and those who lead should be watchful to see that everything has its place. You remember how in the last chapter of Exodus, where the tabernacle was set up by Moses, all the details are given, one by one. It says he brought the ark into the holy place and covered it with the veil; then he set up the table in the holy place and put the bread upon it. The shewbread on the table represents the idea of the saints set together in order and unity, as held under the influence of Christ for the pleasure of God. Now those who are exercised as to God’s pleasure, those who lead, would be concerned as to that. Paul illustrates it in writing to the Colossians when he speaks of joying and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ, yet he had never seen them face to face. So great was his acceptance of responsibility in regard to the ministry entrusted to him and to the saints being affected by it, that basing his knowledge on what he learned from Epaphras he could say, “beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ”. Then Moses brought the candlestick into its place, and lit the lamps: the candlestick was not just an abstract conception; it was functioning. There is light amongst the people of God; it involves light by the Spirit, and the exercise is accepted that the meetings should be characterised by it. Of course, we can all take this up, but Moses leads in it. The idea of a leader is that others follow. Moses, in seeing that the candlestick was functioning, would set out the idea in the divine mind, that there should be light in God’s house. Now that is something we can all take up, those who are in responsibility peculiarly, but all the saints can be before God that He would give light continually by the Spirit as to His mind, so that our meetings are not formal not taken as a matter of course, but we are concerned as to light, as to there being what is spiritual, the mind of God brought in for the moment according to the need. Along with that was the altar of incense, for the two are closely allied; he brought it into its place and offered incense upon it. Not only do we announce that we come together for prayer on Monday evening, but we pray. The altar of incense speaks of prayer in relation to divine interests; and Moses would not be content with intimating that there should be a meeting for prayer, but he would be concerned that the brethren should pray. That is the idea of offering the incense.
Moses was faithful in all God’s house; he was concerned that the features proper to the house of God should be there in actual expression. “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples”, Isa 56: 7. Then he set up the brazen altar and offered offerings upon it; and he set up the laver, and he and Aaron washed their hands and their feet in it. All these things are brought in in the last chapter of Exodus to show how faithful in detail Moses was in all God’s house, that there was not a single feature proper to God’s dwelling-place amongst His people that was lacking or was neglected or ignored. That is an important matter for those who lead, and for the rest of us to take up, as seeing it expressed in those who lead, this concern as to faithfulness in all God’s house. I have no doubt the faithfulness showed itself in other ways also; Moses was faithful in matters of judgment; matters came to him continually and he judged according to the law. That is another matter of importance. Faithfulness in judgment, the spirit of judgment—the Lord is prepared to be that to those who sit in judgment. It is no question of a condemnatory spirit, but a judgment discriminating according to what is right in the sight of God. Mordecai the Jew sat in the king’s gate, the place of judgment; he was there and it was characteristic of him, he considered for the rights of God, and preserved the throne when it was attacked. What characterised Mordecai was that he always considered for what was due to the throne. Even when he had been led through the city as the man whom the king delighted to honour, he returned to his place in the king’s gate.
When Moses came down from the mount and found the people worshipping the golden calf, he had no direct commandment from God what to do, but he went outside the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side, let him come unto me”. Then, without any commandment from God he took the tent and pitched it outside the camp, afar off from it, and called it the tent of meeting, indicating that it was due to God that there should be absolute repudiation of every form of idolatry; and those who sought the Lord went out to him outside the camp. So there is this great feature of this leader in the wilderness, that he was faithful in all God’s house. Christ is Son over God’s house now; Hebrews 3 takes up this very scripture and says that Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a ministering servant for a testimony of the things to be spoken after, but Christ, as Son over God’s house, over it in the dignity of His Person as Son, with all the feelings Godward which mark Him, and He would promote in us holy jealousy as to what is due to God in His house.
Along with this feature of faithfulness to God in all His house, the Spirit of God mentions parenthetically that “Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth”. What a thing that is! Meekness is not natural to any one of us; it has to be learned. The Lord could say, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart”. Paul says, “I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ”. He was a true leader. So it says of Moses that he was “very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth”. If I may venture to suggest it, I believe this is one of the results of his faithfulness in all God’s house. It would result from his giving his mind diligently to the different features proper to God’s house, the central feature in which was, of course, the ark, typifying Christ. God’s house is a great system built up around Christ, and all taking character from Him. Moses was in the mountain with God forty days and forty nights, twice over, and God showed him the pattern of the tabernacle. I can well understand God speaking to Moses about Christ, showing him what the ark really typified, saying, I have in mind to have a system in which I will dwell, which is all to take character from that Man, the Man of My good pleasure. How different from every other man—not asserting His own rights, or seeking His glory, but considering for God, doing His will, and “meek and lowly in heart!” I can well understand God giving Moses an impression of Christ, and as Moses received this impression in the presence of God, I can well understand his becoming meek himself. He would see, as he began to get God’s view as to Christ, a system of things which was to be brought in in which there should be no room for any save those who take character from Christ. So he would learn to be meek. This great leader in the wilderness was marked by those two features, faithfulness to God in all His house, and on the other hand, what I believe goes along with it, this great feature of meekness.
Such a one the Lord will vindicate; it was not necessary for Moses to justify himself, to vindicate himself. Miriam and Aaron may say what they like, Moses could afford to be silent, for he was faithful to God. One who is faithful to God, God will surely vindicate. “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord”, Isa 54; 17. Now that is what one who faithfully serves God can count upon, and that being so, he does not need to take up things on his own behalf, for the Lord will vindicate him in His own time and way, as He did in the case of Moses.
Now a word as to Joshua. Moses shines in Numbers 27, for he had just been told by the Lord that he was to go up to mount Abarim and would be gathered to his people, because he had rebelled against God’s commandment. He might have said, The people provoked me; but he did not, he accepted God’s governmental ways with him; he did not even ask, according to this scripture, to be allowed to go over. In Deuteronomy we are told he did ask, and God said, “Speak no more unto me of this matter”, and Moses accepted. But here he shines in a true shepherd spirit; he is not considering for himself although he is to be displaced, but he says, “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation which may go out before them, and which may come in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd”. He beseeches for a leader, and one transparent in all his movements; all his movements are open—how important that is!
It says of David that the people loved him because he went out before them and came in before them. All his movements are in the open, there is nothing hidden, there is simplicity and transparency, and how that wins the confidence of the people of God! Moses besought for that, and also that he should be one who would lead them out and bring them in. The thought of conflict is in mind; if conflict is necessary, he will lead out in conflict. But he will not be engaging them always in conflict; he will “bring them in”. So Moses asks for a true leader; that the people of God be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
Now what does God say? “Take thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit”. That is important, especially in connection with the land—a man in whom is the Spirit. We may say, We all have the Holy Spirit. Well, if we have, we have; but this is spoken of Joshua as though it was evidently characteristic of him. Many of us are made to feel often that, while we have the Holy Spirit, it perhaps is not always characteristic of us. But here it says of Joshua, “a man in whom is the Spirit”. That means that the things of the Spirit would be engaging Joshua constantly. That good land into which God had in mind to bring His people was ever in his heart. How important it is that those who lead should have divine things in their hearts in the power of the Holy Spirit! It is essential if the saints are to be helped. There is the position in the wilderness in relation to the service of God, and anyone who leads should be faithful in all God’s house; but in connection with the land, what is so important is the Spirit, the Spirit who loves to magnify Christ where He is—as the Lord says, “he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you”. This is a most important matter—“a man in whom is the Spirit”! So Joshua was chosen for that purpose. It says in Joshua that God said to him, “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people”. He was to go over, he was to lead. The best way we can help one another in relation to the things which lie in the Spirit, the things that are beyond death and are bound up with Christ where He is, is by being in them ourselves. “A man in whom is the Spirit, is characteristically one whose mind and heart are engaged with heavenly things, so that the power to move into them is developed, and thus we can encourage the saints to move into them as well.
Then another important matter comes in, that is that Joshua was to “stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him, by the judgment of the Urim before Jehovah: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him”. A leader, however spiritual he may be, and Joshua is a type of a spiritual man, is always to be marked by that dependence which shows itself in inquiring of the Lord. However spiritual a leader may become he is not to trust to his spirituality; he is to maintain the priestly feature of continually going into the presence of God and seeking the mind of God in His presence. However spiritual a person may become, he does not rely upon his spirituality. This is illustrated in the history of Joshua, for when the Gibeonites came up (Joshua 9) it says the men inquired not of the Lord, and they were deceived, and Joshua made peace with them; and that element of the Gibeonites had to be taken in among them, an element foreign to them, but they had to be brought in because of the oath. That is just an illustration of how even a spiritual man like Joshua may find himself deceived if he does not maintain the feature of priestly conditions and inquiring of God.
The thought of leadership is seen supremely with the Lord Himself. He is spoken of in the epistle to the Hebrews as “the leader of their salvation” (chap 2: 10), and also as “the leader and completer of faith” (chap 12: 2), but in both these scriptures the word used for “leader” is different from that used in connection with the saints; it is a word used entirely and only for the Lord, showing how in everything He stands pre-eminent. It refers not only to one who goes before, but one who inaugurates and sets on a matter, and in that the Lord stands alone. But among the saints a leader exemplifies the truth, sets it out before the saints, so that they can follow.
CROYDON
5th February 1944
From Words of Grace and Comfort
_____________________