CHRIST AND THE ASSEMBLY IN A CONTRARY SCENE
[p. 370] CHRIST AND THE ASSEMBLY IN A CONTRARY SCENE
1 Samuel 16:11 - 13; 1 Samuel 25:1 - 3
JT It is thought that as these scriptures are fairly familiar to us, and as chapter 25 is especially long we might read these two passages, not to confine ourselves to them, but to bring the subjects contained in them before us. The thought is to see how when occurrences arise affecting the saints, tending to sadden, and perhaps to weaken our faith, the Spirit of God brings Christ and the assembly before us. Not simply Christ, but Christ and the assembly; because, the nearer we get to the end, to the coming of the Lord, the more the thought of Christ and the assembly becomes prominent.
So that we find in chapter 16 that David is on the scene, Samuel yet alive and serving, but we are told in the end of chapter 19 that he went to Naioth by Ramah, and in chapter 25: 1 he is said to have died. That is to say, his death was pending, his service was well-nigh finished. In the interim, David is on the scene, and the Spirit of God had said “this is he”; “Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he”, chapter 16: 12. That is to say, he is the one, the person who fills the scene at all times. That is what I had in mind, which I hope the brethren will understand in its application; for the Lord would Surely be with us in view of our loss†; and yet we would not be thinking unduly of it but would understand the full position that “Christ is everything, and in all”, Colossians 3: 11. He fills the scene, He fills the divine realm of interest, but not by Himself; the assembly now is understood, and in this chapter the
†Death of C.A.C.
[p. 371] assembly in type which we understand is filled out, so that the ministry and the service from heaven all tend to make much of Christ and the assembly. Hence, in chapter 25, when Samuel is said to have died, “David arose”, we are told, and then Abigail comes into view. Nabal comes into view first as rejecting David. David comes into view, but not until the assembly in type is brought forward: “the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was a Calebite” (verse 3). I think the brethren will discern that there is considerable help for us in this passage at the present moment.
JHT “Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith”, Hebrews 13: 7. Then immediately, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and to the ages to come” (verse 8).
JT I thought of that passage today as fitting in view of this reading. The Lord Jesus continuing, and filling the Scriptures; heaven comes into view as aglow with not only Christ, but the assembly, for she is His fulness: “the fulness of him who fills all in all”, Ephesians 1: 23. Hence the book of Revelation sees her “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”, Revelation 21: 2.
JHT Would Timothy being set at liberty, as in Hebrews 13: 23, envisage our position with Paul and all that he reveals as to Christ and the assembly?
JT As set at liberty, too; another element of the moment as to our dear brethren who are restricted in government services gradually being set at liberty. At the moment, two of the most cheering things are the young men that are coming forward released, and others gifted from above to serve the saints in view of the completion of [p. 372] the assembly.
HFN Is that seen in regard to the young men in chapter 25? Is that in your mind?
JT Well, I thought of the young man especially that made known to Abigail what Nabal had done. Then, I suppose you have in mind that David having heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, sent out ten young men. We are reminded of Abraham’s servant and the ten camels, would you say, in view of Rebecca? The setting there was as here; it is in view of Abigail.
JHT So that is there a very interesting suggestion in verse 19: “she said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you”?
JT You have something more to say?
JHT I was struck with your remark as to the young men, whether the service that you spoke of would not have distinctive relation to the assembly? They would go on before in that sense, like Timothy with everything committed to him from Paul.
JT I have thought at times of Paul’s announcement from time to time of his coming to Corinth, that it would have an allusion to what the Lord has in the way of ministers and those who can help the saints. How the Lord’s coming is foreshadowed in these, we may say, gifted young men, who have been raised up. So Paul several times tells the Corinthians that he has in mind to come to them, evidently to stir them up. I suppose Corinth was initiated to represent the assembly in some sense; but it shows the patience of the Lord with us in staying away, not to cause undue commotion amongst us. Young men are inclined to be distressed fatally, but Paul stayed away. Some thought he was prevaricating, but it was not so; it was to spare them, because of his love for them.
HFN Are there two sets of exercises? One in regard to Paul coming to us as seen in Romans, Thessalonians and Corinthians; and would there be [p. 373] another side in regard of Timothy coming to the various assemblies?
JT I have thought of that. Take, for instance, Samuel, who had a circuit every year, coming to a place at a definite time; and we know from one instance at least that the people trembled at his coming (see 1 Samuel 16: 4). It would be necessary in some cases. We ought to be on our guard lest we should not be found in peace and going on in the things of God. Samuel came every year. Of course they would expect him, I suppose, he made the rounds, and he would come to them. So the Lord in the days of His flesh, it is said, “came in and went out among us ... . until the day in which he was taken up from us”, Acts 1: 21, 22. He was coming in and going out; and so after He rose from the dead, He came in amongst them and went out. Also in the gospel of John especially we see how He comes in to us, He does not leave us orphans, comfortless, He comes, not yet for us, but to us.
So we see in the history of Paul’s ministry that he sent Timothy instead of going himself. He sent him, but not with a rod, that they might know his ways as they were in Christ; 1 Corinthians 4: 17. So he writes to Timothy himself that, pending his coming, he might know how to conduct himself in the house of God. So, with the Lord Himself when He comes to institute His supper in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the twelve are seen there; not only Himself, but the twelve, those who would care for things in an administrative way.
Now we have here, as already remarked, these young men going before Abigail. In that connection one of them reported in verse 14, “one of Nabal’s young men” — he was Abigail’s, really, he was watching her interests — “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master; and he has insulted them”. How serious a matter that is for [p. 374] anyone to insult the Lord Jesus, or His people and those who serve Him! “And the men were very good to us” (verse 15); that is a warning to those who serve the Lord and His people: we should be very good to those we serve. “And we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we companied with them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them feeding the sheep” (verses 15, 16). Now the young man says to Abigail, “And now know and consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household; and he is such a son of Belial, that one cannot speak to him” (verse 17). So that is the position that Abigail is to meet, this whole position. It is a question of the assembly, really; how we are to meet emergencies. Samuel is dead: this is not to be forgotten in all this section. But the Lord Jesus says, “I became dead, and behold, I am living to the ages of ages” (Revelation 1: 18); and He adds, “and have the keys of death and of hades”. So He is our protector, we are not to fear.
JHT Would verse 15 suggest the truth of the kingdom and His benign rule before the truth of the assembly comes out?
JT The kingdom; quite so. It is a gracious kingdom: “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit”, Romans 14: 17. Not just the assembly, it is the kingdom.
HFN What would be the distinctive feature of the assembly as seen in Abigail here?
JT I think she represents the work of God in connection with the history of David. She was allied to Nabal, and therefore at a great disadvantage with such a husband; but at the same time she progresses, she represents the progress of the work of God in an exemplary sense. David being already on the ground, in due time she is to be his companion.
[p. 375] She is not that at once. She grew up in the ordinary way, married and that; but all the while she knew something about David. She was able to talk to him of himself and to indicate what he was as raised up, as he was, on God’s behalf. Young people among us should learn from David, get acquainted with David, so to speak. Consider the young women in 1 Samuel 9; Samuel comes to their town, and they are going out to draw water — not to play cricket and the like — and they meet Saul and his servant and they tell them about Samuel. These young women are a very fine example for young sisters as to what we are engaged with before the coming in of David and Abigail. Because Christ and the assembly is specially in mind in our time. It is a question of finality and everything coming to an issue in Christ and the assembly. So the young women were able to tell Saul about Samuel, and where he could be found.
ER What would Nabal represent?
JT I suppose it is the clerical system; what is stubborn and unreasonable. The whole system is unreasonable and apt to provoke us. What do you think?
ER I should think so: an interesting thought.
JT He has a good history, as the clerical system had a good history: he was a Calebite, showing what the offspring of a great man may or may not be. The great man is in the eye of God, but his offspring is also in the eye of God. I think the offspring of the assembly, the apostles and prophets of the early days, develop into the clerical system; I think this can be traced out in the book of Revelation.
JHT Abigail names Nabal with truth, and then she calls Saul ‘a man’, and she calls David ‘my lord’ fifteen times.
JT It is well worth going through the chapter to read it, as also Genesis 24, which is very long and may be unread or not understood. But it is the assembly’s [p. 376] chapter, it is really Christ and the assembly. Nothing can be greater for those who love the Lord.
RB Does verse 3 suggest that Abigail answered to David in some sense?
JT That is it: Christ and the assembly. “The name of the man was Nabal”, meaning a fool, ungodly, and so on; and then, “the name of his wife Abigail and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance”.
HFN The chapter opens with the fact that Samuel was buried in his house at Ramah, but “David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran” (verse 1). What are we to understand as to that?
JT I suppose the wilderness would mean the contrary scene which is seen here, and then the enemy is there. We all know from Numbers what enemies developed in the wilderness, and what we may look for and prepare for. So this is a real enemy; let us hear his words: “And Nabal answered David’s servants and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants nowadays that break away every man from his master. And shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh which I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men whom I know not whence they are?” (verses 10, 11). He says, “my shearers”; they were persons from whom he would get something from their work. There is nothing about his wife and his children, the objects of his love. His speech shows at once what he is. “Shall I ... give it to men whom I know not whence they are?” (verse 11). We have already pointed out that evidently Abigail knew who David was, could speak of him to himself, and knew what he was in the divine mind. But Nabal is an enemy, an unfair enemy. David’s message was most gracious, would you say?
HFN Would it be right, taking the condition of things that you have pointed out in this chapter, to [p. 377] say that God would shine out in the light of Christ and the assembly?
JT A very beautiful touch; God shines out here. I think He shines out prophetically, typically, as to what Christ and the assembly is to the Father. The Lord’s supper affords an opportunity for Christ and the assembly, what they are to each other; but then the service of God ought to bring out what Christ and the assembly are to the Father and that ought to enter into the service. Not simply Christ but Christ and the assembly. I think what we have been speaking of bears that out, because it is a question of man in John’s gospel — men and what God provides for them in view of their being in every way suited to Christ. Adam was a figure of Him that was to come. It does not say that Eve was a figure of her that was to come; but Adam as on the masculine side represents Christ personally, and John has that in mind, I am sure. So we should get clearly in our minds the thought of man; and angels, if not hostile, are at least subservient to fill out the position. As we see here when David sent for Abigail and would have her to be his wife: “And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil; but Jehovah has returned Nabal’s evil upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her as his wife. And the servants of David came to Abigail to Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to thee, to take thee as his wife. And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thy handmaid be a bondwoman to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her” (verses 39 - 42). These are accompanying persons; Rebecca had the same. Angels are our servants: “Are they not [p. 378] all ministering spirits, sent out for service ... ?” Hebrews 1:14. That is, Christ and the assembly, or whatever would contribute to or enhance the position of Christ and the assembly, are the objects of angels. Whatever servants or agents they are, they are just there because of Christ and the assembly. So we learn here how, inwardly, Christ and the assembly are there; and there are, too, the necessary accompaniments. If it be man, there are men; if it be woman, there are women. Let it be accentuated. It is accentuating the feminine side here in these damsels of hers that followed her.
ER Does that correspond with “the virgins ... her companions”, Psalm 45:14?
JT That is just what I would think, Mr. R.; and also those Rebecca took with her.
ER I should be glad if you would make it a little clearer as to this accentuation of the feminine side.
JT I hope all the young sisters will think of that. That is the idea; the ministry brings in the sisters. They are of the same kind as ourselves, only the feminine side. If it be the man’s side, or the woman’s side, what is needed is there. If the feminine side is to be accentuated, well, you see it here. How right it is that Abigail should have these persons; they are hers. Then it says, “and she went after the messengers of David” (verse 42). If young men are necessary, let them be there; if old men are necessary, let them be there: they have experience the young men cannot have.
ER You would distinguish between these young men and these five damsels?
JT I have not thought much of it; but you have the ten young men and then there is one that informs Abigail. I would say he is an intelligent young man, which is a great matter. She had a servant here, a private, confidential man. He ought to be intelligent,
too, for she was a “woman ... of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance” (verse 3).
HFN Is it emphasised in the book of Ruth? Boaz said she was to be with the damsels, and the young men were to draw water there; Ruth 2: 8, 9. Is it the same idea?
JT I would say that Boaz, as a man of wealth, having servants, would know how to distinguish between the young men and the young women. “Younger women as sisters, with all purity”, 1 Timothy 5:2. It is necessary that these things should be brought before the brethren.
HW In verse 19 reference is made to Abigail’s young men, as though they are distinct from David’s young men.
JT Well, they were her servants. It was quite right she should have servants, as the queen of Sheba had them, too.
HW Why do you say it was necessary for her to have servants as the queen of Sheba?
JT Nabal was about; she needed them. It is something like the servants of Rebecca: she fills that place now.
ER Would it be a matter of principles, not necessarily young brothers and sisters?
JT If you are thinking of the feminine side, you can only get it in women and girls; if you are thinking of the men’s side, you can only get it in men — men who can do things in such circumstances.
WEW Why is it ten young men, and five young women?
JT It is a question of numerals. Five is human weakness: five fingers, five senses; whereas ten is human responsibility. But the five senses are very intelligible to us as entering into the thought of the five young damsels. It is a question of right feelings.
HFN Would the thought of the damsels really underlie what Paul says to the Corinthians; not merely a virgin, but “a chaste virgin to Christ”, 2 Corinthians 11: 2?
JT It bears out what we are saying; how much Paul brought into those two letters, how they deal with youth, and so on. That is a peculiar word in that chapter, because the allusion is to Eve; reminding all the saints really, because they are all included in the idea of the virgins. It is the assembly now, and there is the danger of listening to another head; anything that is not Christ in some sense.
Ques She “became his wife” (verse 42). Is it that she is now ready to follow the principles of subjection and obedience? Is she now the Calebite? The Spirit of God says three times that Caleb “wholly followed the Lord”, Numbers 32: 12. “She went after the messengers of David, and became his wife” (verse 42).
JT Quite so. I would say, however, that if we are to get Caleb’s character as a man we would have to go to Achsah, Caleb’s daughter. Abigail has something else in mind, the collateral thought.
JG David said, “blessed be thy discernment, and blessed be thou” (verse 33).
JT She was current collaterally with David, and fitted when the time came for them to merge together.
FD Is what Christ and the assembly is to the Father included in the thought of God dwelling eternally with men?
JT Quite so; because the idea of man is of dual character covering both the woman and the man, and God has pleasure in both. Hence the reference in Matthew 22, “a king who made a wedding feast for his son” (verse 2). We are not told who the bride was but she must have been there abstractly in principle but how pleasurable it was to the king! The King is the Father of Christ. Eternity is to be marked by that. It is man according to God in the male and female side, only in Christ and the assembly. This came up at Croydon; it is not thought of much as [p. 381] coming into the service of God on a Lord’s day, whether it is a question of the brethren or the assembly coming in after the Lord’s supper. It is quite a question and must be answered in our souls. But I would say that what is personal must take precedence. Brethren is relationship, but the assembly constitutes a person in the eyes of God, which is more important than the brethren.
RB Is sonship, in relation to this thought of man, a collateral thought, the great prime thought being Christ and the assembly?
JT The idea of sons is a prime thought, too, although it is not mentioned as man is; but it is a prime thought. Of course, He is leading many sons to glory. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make perfect the leader of their salvation through sufferings”, Hebrews 2: 10. Therefore, it is, I would say, a prime thought, comprising many of them, who are brought to glory. That is to say, they have travelled, they are brought to glory; and their Captain is made perfect through sufferings. So the thought of sufferings must enter into the idea of sonship. Evidently it ought to enter into sonship; because our Captain has been made perfect through sufferings. It is a great matter that we should understand that He is made perfect through sufferings (see Hebrews 5: 7 - 9).
ER Which is the greater dignity, the dignity of sonship or our place in the assembly?
JT I think they run together, they take place together.
HFN Would it be borne out in Ephesians 3: 21 “to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages”? I could not get that verse out of my mind as you were speaking.
JT It is a magnificent verse and comes in in the most magnificent of chapters, where Paul is dwelling [p. 382] on his own intelligence of the mystery. It is a great parenthesis. It is a matter of expansion, what the minister ought to be. I believe that is the line to be taken in Ephesians 3. Hence the apostle speaks about the Father and the families, every family; and then following on that, our inward growth. Think of the Spirit of the Father, the greatness of the thing, that He should operate in us by His Spirit. Then that we should know. He fully recognised the creature limitations. He was not equal to Christ, he could not take in everything, but he wanted them to know what intelligence he had as to the mystery. “And to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled even to all the fulness of God” (verse 19). That is great enough, I think, because it is not creature limitations that are in mind, but we are brought into “the fulness of God”. Then this grand thought at the end of that wonderful chapter: what you might call the doxology, “to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages”. I think we all of us in earlier days thought that it would be the assembly in eternity, only that it is in terms of time, because we can hardly take in anything other than that. But God has something else in His mind: He can speak of eternity.
ER That verse brings out Christ and the assembly together for God’s glory.
JT So the assembly runs through. It is the assembly in Christ Jesus. The assembly would mean it is a question of power.
HFN Your remark has greatly helped me; that the thoughts of the brethren and sons of God run on together and those persons form the assembly. I think that will help us.
JHT I was wondering whether the word in Ephesians 5: 26 should help us; it refers to “the washing of water by the word”, and we should therefore pay attention to the ministry given to us because [p. 383] in Revelation 19 the wife is credited with having made herself ready. Would that be the answer to Ephesians 5?
JT Quite so; and the kind of dress she is to wear is mentioned; she is to be “arrayed in fine linen” (verse 8), which is a voice to the saints as to our attire, feminine attire. We have got to be ready, but what an attire we are to wear! Of course, it is in keeping with our heavenly dignity, but the wife’s position here in suffering is in mind, I think, because she comes out in dignity.
RB There is no thought of incapacity in Ephesians 3: the assembly is fully equal to the containing of the glory of God.
JT Quite so; hence in that passage the angels desire to look into what is worked out in the assembly.