“THE GLORY OF JEHOVAH APPEARED”
C. S. Elliott
I am impressed by the thought of the glory of Jehovah appearing at any time. How confirming it is, and how settling to the hearts and affections of the saints, for Jehovah’s glory to come in. The children of Israel were headed towards the land and ten of those who went, to spy out the land brought back a bad report; but there were two, Caleb and Joshua, who had a sense that God would carry them through. They said, “If Jehovah delight in us, he will bring us into this land”. How confirming to the souls of the saints to go through an exercise knowing that it is God’s will and pleasure to see His people through, in spite of what the enemy might bring in. These two men made way for God to come in and to confirm their testimony. It was a very difficult time for them; it says that “the whole assembly said that they should be stoned”. Imagine trying to get the saints into the thought of the inheritance, into a real forward movement in dependence on Jehovah and that is what these two men wanted, to bring the children of Israel into a real sense of dependence on God—and then having to face those who thought their testimony was not right and wanted to stone them. And then the glory appeared. God came in and confirmed the exercises of these two men.
Think of the enjoyment of the land which they had in their hearts. They said, “The land, which we passed through to search it out, is a very, very good land”. Can we at any time just reassure the hearts of the saints that the inheritance is so precious that they will want to go in for it? It is “a very, very good land”. There is nothing to compare with the joy of the inheritance. Think of the Lord Jesus laying down His life for us in order that we might he free. Think of the service of men who have gone before and who have laid down their lives so that the saints might enter into the inheritance. Think of the rich heritage that we have come into at the present time. Do we not find the land very, very good? I believe the Spirit of God would reassure our hearts afresh. If there is land to be taken, territory to be possessed, it always involves conflict, but conflict is not the end in view; the glory is the end in view. If we can help the saints into the strength and vitality of a forward movement into the joy of the inheritance, how comforting and stimulating it will be to them, and how pleasing to heaven.
Joshua and Caleb say, “If Jehovah delight in us, he will bring us into this land, and give it us, a land that flows with milk and honey”. What a land! These men had the joy of the land in their own souls so that they could seek to encourage and strengthen and support the people of God. This is, I believe, what we need to do constantly to bring in the line of stimulation and food and support for the hearts of the saints, so that they might move forward into the joy of the inheritance.
How confirming was the appearing of the glory of Jehovah to the exercises of these two men, the heart of God coming into the matter and distinguishing these two men who were used.
The appearing of the glory is to have a real effect on the hearts of the saints and would promote worship. So in all our exercises, dear brethren, conflict is involved, but the end in view is the glory of God and the confirmation of the hearts of the saints. And this, I believe, is what we should set ourselves for; we should really commit ourselves to this, to preserve what is for God in the local assemblies so that the hearts of the saints might be stimulated and strengthened and the heart of God gratified. May it be so more and more, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Brooklyn, N.Y.
10 April 1979