VALUING THE WORD OF GOD
T.E.Druckenmiller
1.Samuel 3: 1.-14·; Matthew 4: 3,4; 2 Peter 1: 16-20; Revelation 3: 20-22;
I desire, beloved brethren, to say a word as to our appreciation of the word of God. One has been affected in the last week or two, and I believe confirmed through these times together, as to an increased need to value the word of God – the Holy Scriptures, the precious book we hold in our hand, the precious book that I think most (if not all) of us here have come to love and to cherish; God revealing His mind lo men. I believe we would have a longing to get a fresh impression that would strengthen our desire to value the word of God, to value the communications that God is desirous of making to every one of us individually, communicating His mind to men, with a view to there being with you and me, a preparedness to be here for God amid the confusion of the state of things that is abroad in what the beloved apostle speaks of as a "great house", 2 Tim 2: 20.
One refers to Samuel because of the expression “the word of Jehovah was rare in those days". If we remember the first reading, reference was made to this scripture and the value of God speaking to one so young. I believe the Lord means to leave a fresh impression on our hearts that He would speak to every one of us, to you and to me. His appeal in speaking to us is that He would love to communicate something; to let you know how much His love and interest is, in you and, how much He wants you to be for Him in the world where He has been rejected. We are in the place "which is called ..., Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified", Rev 11: 8. We are in the sphere where Christ has died and yet He would appeal to your heart and to mine afresh tonight to be amongst His called ones. He would call you by your name. That is the precious touch we get here in this Old Testament scripture – God’s appeal to one young man, Samuel. It says "the word of Jehovah was rare in those days”. Publicly, it is almost like the present time: rare. Oh, but dear, beloved brethren, we have had a sense that the word of God is being spoken and we have been for these two days in an area where it is appreciated. Thank God for that. l look around all this company, I think back over years of precious times enjoyed together, persons here that we have known, and valued from our youth, The Lord is helping us; we feel the chequered way we have all come, and yet the Lord would steady and strengthen us, through His word. Many an exercise is upon us here; many a sorrow and broken heart is among us. Think of all that has transpired in the testimony and yet the Lord would confirm us and strengthen our faith to go on as linked with the precious glad tidings that have been before us. They bring us into the light and glory of the way that Christ has gone in suffering love to secure us each individually and to set us together in relation to what is collective as next His heart, the precious assembly that He is going to present to Himself "glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any of such things", Eph 5: 27.
But He would appeal to us on this individual side: Samuel! Think of Samuel being called! Think of what lay behind his being here - a mother's heart, the feeling of someone who was concerned about God's presence in Israel. The lamp had just about gone out. We get that here: "the lamp of God had not yet gone out", but here was Samuel, and Jehovah called to him, and he said, Here am I. Well, the Lord calls you. Do you say, Here am I? I believe the Lord would call afresh to each of us tonight. Would we say, Here am I? Are we ready, available to Him? I believe we sometimes come to realise there is more in it than desire of heart, and yet we would tonight, I think, afresh be prepared to say, Here am I. Let us be ready, dear brethren, to take things up in view of the testimony concluding in brightness. Samuel was one who maintained the divine standard of things in a dark day. That is what we are in, beloved brethren. We are in a dark day, in public ruin, church breakdown, and yet the divine light of the glory is shining. The lamp of God had almost gone out, but Samuel is being called. It says in verse 6: "And Jehovah called again, Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I”; then in verse 7: "Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither had the word of Jehovah yet been revealed to him". Let us just dwell on this thought of the word of God. Has it been revealed to you? Do you value the precious Scriptures? Do you value divine communications, what God is prepared to say to you and what He is prepared to say to me? The great danger is the intrusion of the mind of man. We have been helped, but need to be helped more, to allow the word of God to form our minds to form our thinking, to direct us in relation to what is of God in the midst of the day of confusion in which we are.
"Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither had the word of Jehovah yet been revealed to him". There may be someone here who has come to these meetings not yet knowing the word of Jehovah. May they get a touch from the Lord in which they feel a sense of the Lord speaking to their heart. There is a great danger, dear brethren, of doing our own thing, whatever that might be - it might be different with you from what it is with me - but what we need is the word of the Lord bearing on every issue in our lives. There is a great need to understand the family setting and to fill our place in it - father, mother, son or daughter, parents in relation to children, children in relation to parents - to fill out your place in the local meeting and to be content and to move in it as under the ordering of God in our circumstances. As we do so we will prove the blessing, we will prove the joy, we will prove the rejoicing that we have had in the scriptures in Philippians. You do not get through to the rejoicing apart from understanding the suffering side of things. I was thinking of a verse in Jeremiah, another man in the Old Testament. He says, ''Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy words were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart", chap 15: 16. There is a man that valued the word of God in a dark day, when Israel was about to be carried captive, a man who suffered, suffered as the word of God came to him, suffered as he spoke the word of God, and yet he was prepared to seek the word of God and to find it. Samuel did not yet know Jehovah. Jeremiah knew God and he knew the value of the word of God. I believe, dear brethren, the Lord would speak to our hearts and cause us to desire to value the word of God.
So here it says, "And Jehovah called again the third time, Samuel!" Maybe some the Lord has called a third time. Think of it! You may not have answered the first time. Many of us we have not answered the second, maybe not even the third time. But then in verse 10: "And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel!" Oh, that is a precious touch! Remember that the Lord said to Saul of Tarsus, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?", Acts 9: 4. Wonderful the way the Lord would single us out and call us to bring us into blessing, to bring us into the joy and rejoicing of the heavenly company. Yes, sorrows we may prove as we go through the way, and may the Lord help us in them! I am sure He will. I am sure we will find, as we place our exercises more in the presence of the Lord, that He will minister to our hearts through His word. He will come in and speak to our hearts. That is what Samuel found. How near the Lord would come! "We will come to him", John 14: 23. We were thinking of the Father coming and speaking, the Lord coming and speaking and the Spirit coming and speaking, but I would like to emphasise the import of the Lord's desire to come to you and to find a ready response as He did from Samuel.
One would just pass on to what we read in Matthew because one of the great exercises of heart that we have is the tremendous power that Satan has to divert us from the truth, and the power that he has wielded right from the beginning, casting doubt into the heart of Eve as to the word of God: "Is it even so, that God has said ...?" (Gen 3: 1) - did He really mean it this way? Oh, the devil is very crafty. Let us not minimise his effort to dissuade any one of us from the truth, no matter how young or old. We referred to Josiah yesterday, the king who began well, began as a youth, eight years old; he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, and yet he did not finish well. Something persuaded him from the truth. The enemy's determined effort is to turn any one of us from the pathway of faith, the pathway of obedience to the will of God.
One read from this section because of the way the Lord met the power of the enemy through reference to the word of God. The devil said, "If thou be Son of God, speak that these stones may become loaves of bread. But he answering said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which goes out through God's mouth". Do we live by the word of God? Do we value it the way we should? Do we read it day by day? Do we find that we need the word of God? One would like to make it attractive to our hearts, that we need to live by the word of God. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which goes out through God's mouth". In each of these three temptations the reference is back to Moses' book of Deuteronomy. In verse 4 Jesus said "It is written"; in verse 7: "It is again written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God", and again in verse 10: "Get thee away, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serve". The Lord met the power of the enemy with the word of God. You and I need, beloved brethren, to cultivate more intimacy with the precious word. I believe that would be by our links with the Holy Spirit, in our reading, our meditation, our prayer as to the word of God, and being instructed and taught divinely. May the Lord interest us afresh today to value the word of God!
So the Lord refers here to what Moses said in Deuteronomy, that great section of Scripture. It was to those two on the way to Emmaus with exercise that the Lord spoke to them about Moses and the prophets. Then in the company collectively He opened their understanding to understand the Scriptures - Moses, the Psalms, and the prophets. These sections of Scripture speak of Christ: ''they bear witness concerning me", John 5: 39. May the Lord increase our interest to find Christ in the Scriptures. Look through the word of God, see the way the Lord shines out! Oh may the Lord interest our hearts increasingly to value the mind of God revealed!
One would now turn to the further three passages. We had last evening the touch as to the voice of the Lord. It would do us well to speak further about the voice. That God has conveyed His word in divine speaking is something we should greatly value. I turned to Peter because of the reference to the Father's voice: "For he received from God the Father honour and glory, such a voice being uttered to him by the excellent glory: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight". Think of the Father's delight in Jesus to proclaim Him from the glory to those three who were "eyewitnesses of his majesty". We were speaking of this the other day and a brother asked why does it not say, 'Hear Him' in this section? It has occurred to me that what follows is of import. It refers to "the prophetic word made surer". Peter brings in the value of the Spirit speaking, and the prophetic word as being that in which divine Persons would communicate to us throughout this present dispensation. We would always go back to the gospels and value that word, "Hear him". One would not for a moment say we should not, but the emphasis in what follows is on “the prophetic word made surer". I venture to suggest that in our local settings we should value more the prophetic word. That precious occasion - some localities have it weekly, some monthly - but there is something of peculiar value in making way for the prophetic word. I believe that that occasion provides the Spirit opportunity to speak to the local assembly. I mention that, feeling the experience of it, the exercise that it raises as we look for a fresh touch from the Lord. We should see what we can do in view of making opportunity for divine speaking. And so it says, "And we have the prophetic word made surer, to which ye do well taking heed (as to a lamp shining in an obscure place)" - It may be that we are in an obscure place! - "until the day dawn and the morning star arise in your hearts. The dawn is about to break. We said yesterday the fourth watch, the star having already risen. Has it risen in your heart and mind? Is there something that obscures the shining? Have clouds dimmed my sight? Oh, let the Lord speak to our hearts! Let us see the rising of the star and be increasingly ready to meet the Lord, the day-star: "until the day dawn and the morning star arise in your hearts; knowing this first, that the scope of no prophecy of scripture is had from its own particular interpretation, for prophecy was not ever uttered by the will of man, but holy men of God spake under the power of the Holy Spirit". Think of the place the speaking of the Spirit is to have in the local assembly. Think of 1 Corinthians 12: "For to one, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit" (v 8). Let us, beloved brethren, make way for divine speaking. If we want to stay out of the confused state of things abroad we need more restfulness to work things through in the presence of divine Persons, increased communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I think the touch that came in at the end of the reading should be followed up more by us, the Lord's communication to the Father in John 17 having an appeal. He says "Sanctify them by the truth; thy word is truth" (v 17). We will come to that in the last scripture, the great need for the truth, and to allow it to govern our thinking and our walk and our bearing in the present state of things, but we will never arrive at the truth if the mind of man intrudes into our thinking, in our approach to things. Let the Lord help us to acknowledge wherein in the past we have digressed and we have allowed something of man's mind to warp our view and to lead us astray. Oh, we need to be quickened in our pace in this race and tread with lighter step in our pathway here.
Then I would like to go on to the Lord's voice in Revelation. It is interesting in these scriptures that there is the Father's voice, and then the Spirit's, and here the Lord's voice, and then the word at the end of the chapter: "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies". I believe it shows the intimacy there is between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Think of divine Persons wanting to make their abode with you and with me. You know that verse, "Jesus answered and said to him, If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him", John 14: 23. That is the choicest of what is available to you and to me at the present time. If we are prepared to hear His voice and we love Him and we love His word, we shall be just waiting for the Father to come to us, and the Son, and I believe They would come, and coupled with that would be the presence of the Spirit. You can hardly think of it otherwise, the value of the three Persons of the Godhead and you as an individual and myself, able to communicate in love's way in the intimacy of relationship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Oh, think of what is available to every believer in Jesus! We should strengthen one another; we should love our brethren in the whole of Christendom. In reading in books of ministry, two or three times recently I have seen it - 'our Roman Catholic brethren' or 'our brethren in the systems'. We have been too much in a shell, I believe. We need to be outgoing in our affections to-all who are part of the body. May the Lord help us to that end!
Then we come to this reference to Laodicea, a very solemn section of Scripture, that such should be increased with goods and have need of nothing, persons who outwardly take the place of Christians. Do we not know something of it? We became like this, beloved brethren - let us be honest - and yet the Lord, in faithful love, stood at our door and knocked. We did not open the first time; did not open the second time; maybe not even the third time. In love and in grace He continued to knock. "I rebuke and discipline as many as I love". Oh, beloved brother, beloved sister, the Lord loves you - one would convey that to everyone here, the love of the Christ to you - and maybe we are not fully answering to His love. The precious Supper in the morning - oh, think of the words of Jesus, Remember Me! Think of the word in that hymn 430:
"My body - giv'n," Thou saidst, O Lord,
"My blood - poured out for you":
What joy Thy precious words afford
As we these emblems view!
We will have that privilege tomorrow. Oh, take it up in a godly way! Search your hearts! Paul says to the Corinthians, "But let a man prove himself, and thus eat of the bread, and drink of the cup", 1 Cor 11: 28. What an appeal of love from the heart of Jesus: "I rebuke and discipline as many as I love". His love is behind the pressures of the testimony that come into our pathways. His love is behind it having in view that we should enjoy His love the more. Dear brethren, let us commit our hearts with unreserved devotion! Let us open the door if He is knocking there. "I rebuke and discipline as many as I love; be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me". That is nearness; that is the appeal of love; that is the affectionate way the Lord would come to you. I remember when the Lord stood at my door; I was not so ready to open it. It was not the Lord exactly, and yet it was the Lord: it was a brother, but I said, Yes, I will go out and speak with him. That was a wonderful thing because a little while later I was ready to let Him in, the centre of our hearts. We stand aloof; sometimes we keep a person at arm's length. The Lord would appeal to us to let Him in. Have you been that way, keeping the brethren at arm's length? It sometimes happens in our lives; I am so taken up with my own thoughts; but the Lord in His grace would say, Why? I just want to share My thought with you, My word, My voice. Think of our brother's word last evening: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away", Song of Sol 2: 10. I would say it again tonight: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away". We can quote what the Lord is saying to us in His appeal of love. He wants us to be with Him.
Then there is the testing; we need to be overcomers. It is lovely to see some of our dear young ones taking a step in overcoming. When a test comes at school you say, No, I will just go home, I will not go there. You do not always have to say everything; just say, 'No' sometimes. It is simple and yet it is difficult. May the Lord help us to be real, be genuine. I think that is what has been before us these days - practice in faithfulness for Christ. "He that overcomes, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne". That is in the glory above. Now you can have the Father and the Son in company with you here, but the Lord in the day to come will give you to sit with Him in His throne, "/ also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne". The Lord could say, "I have overcome the world " (John 16: 33) in the power that He had, the power through the word of God to meet the enemy and He met it. You and I need the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit in our appreciation of the Scriptures, the holy word of God, to strengthen our faith to go on in the truth. Then, "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies". I believe, dear brethren, the Spirit is speaking to the assemblies. Well, may we hear His voice!
But then just another word. This is a solemn word in John 18. We feel it. When the Lord was before the power of the government, Pilate speaking to Him and saying to Him, "Thou art the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Dost thou say this of thyself, or have others said it to thee concerning me?" (vv 33,34). It comes down to, what do you say for yourself? What is your understanding?
Have you received the divine communication of the holy word of God? Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and Lord? Are you prepared to commit yourself to Him, to come into His kingdom and to proclaim Him as your Lord and to submit yourself to Him? Then Pilate said to Him, "Thou art then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest it, that I am a king. I have been born for this, and for this I have come into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth". And then this line we have read, "Every one that is of the truth hears my voice". It comes down to the fact, dear brethren, as to whether characteristically we are of the truth. If we are, we will hear His voice. There is a fine word by Mr Taylor on the voice of Christ in John's gospel - (it is in volume 46. The brethren should look at it) the voice of the Bridegroom, the voice of the Son of God, the voice of the Shepherd and then this verse, "Every one that is of the truth hears my voice". I believe, dear brethren, that we are challenged as to whether we are of the truth; and if we are with Christ we will be maintained in the divine pathway to the end. Well, let us be ready to hear His voice, the voice of Jesus, the Son of God. I believe that would be a further appeal to what we had last night - to hear His voice. May the Lord encourage us and strengthen our devotion and committal to Him in these closing moments - days of confusion publicly, the church in ruins - to go on and maintain the divine standard of the truth until the Lord comes.
For His Name's sake.
VANCOUVER
December 1990
ENQUIRING CHILDREN
It must be a pleasure to heaven when the young people ask questions in connection with their interest in God's ways. Isaac was only a lad when he enquired of his father where the sheep for the burnt-offering was. He little knew that the fore-knowledge of God had provided a ram, caught in the thicket, in place of himself personally. We now know that all this is a type of the Lord Jesus, giving Himself to be a sweetsmelling sacrifice. The place where this happened was called 'Jehovah will provide'.
The next enquiring child in Scripture is the maiden Miriam, who was anxious about her baby brother. She enquired of Pharaoh's daughter whether she should find a nurse for the little one, as a result of which, in the providence of God, a vital link in His plan for redemption was secured, through Moses.
Later on it was expected that the Hebrew children in Egypt would enquire about God's purpose for His people. For instance, they would see the Passover lamb which had to be sacrificed, the blood for atonement and the flesh to be eaten in the various homes in Egypt. This is another choice type of the Lord Jesus and His sufferings.
Later on still, the children going into the promised land would enquire about the twelve great stones from the bed of the Jordan and placed on the bank of the river. These stones would show that the ark had made it possible for the twelve tribes of Israel to cross the river into Canaan. Do you think about God's purposes for yourself?
J.C.Evershed