NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 NO. 1
[p. 37] NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 [p. 39] NO. 1
The better any one knows the Lord, and all He can be to one individually in one’s own circumstances and need, the more one is ready and really longing to be with Him in His own circumstances, where, so to speak, He is at home. The disciples knew Him well, and when Peter said, “We have left all, and followed thee”, the Lord answered him, “There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting”, Luke 18: 29,30. Peter had received nothing but Himself; the Lord’s company was his compensation.
The indifference we manifest as to seeking the Lord in the assembly, and our ignorance as to it, arise from our not knowing Him well individually. In John 14: 18, when He says, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you”, He refers to the company; but in verse 23 He refers to the individual. “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”. How blessed that He and the Father should have an abode in our hearts!
It is the same word for ‘abode’ as for ‘mansion’. Hence the Lord can say in John 16: 22 “I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you”. They were to see Him in His glory. He has come to our side, and has endeared Himself to us, and as He is endeared to us, we desire to see Him in His exaltation.
The blessing to Adam was a garden. Mary Magdalene found the Lord in a garden, but it was Himself she sought. Now, it is not in a garden, it is Himself in glory. It was said at the first, “It is not good that the man should be alone”, (Genesis 2:18) and now we have been given One who can surely be everything to us so that each of us may say, Never less alone than when alone.
May we know this more and more, and as we know it, we shall rejoice to be with Him in His own place.