KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES OF REFLECTION
[p. 98] KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES OF REFLECTION
John 3: 9 - 13; 1 John 2: 20; 1 Samuel 10: 1 - 8
In remarking on these scriptures, my object is to seek to create an exercise as to spiritual understanding; what is referred to in the book of Proverbs 8: 12 as “the knowledge which cometh of reflection”; not simply what comes from reading, although reading is of prime importance to a christian, as the apostle Paul says to Timothy, “give thyself to reading”, (1 Timothy 4: 13). He also refers to the books which he left at Troas, which Timothy was to bring (2 Timothy 4: 13); so that in his advanced years the apostle evidently gave attention to reading. But wisdom speaks of “the knowledge which cometh of reflection”, and in order that the believer might have whereon to reflect, God sets certain features before him as he sets out in his christian career. Now the first great thing for the believer to understand, from this point of view, is that however little he may know, things are known; not only are they to be known, they are known. The apostle, who, as he tells the Colossians, had great combat for them that they might know the mystery, speaks to the Ephesians of his knowledge of it; he says that “ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery” (Ephesians 3: 4). They were to know that it was known; not only that it was to be known, but it was known.
The gospel of John brings out, in this connection, what is known. In Ecclesiastes 6: 10 we have a statement which is very remarkable — “what man is, is known”. The Scriptures anticipate, much more accurately than we are prone to think, what believers have to deal with at the present time. The very first chapter in the Bible, indeed, anticipates what we [p. 99] have to face in the way of opposition. So in the pretentious effort there is to investigate in regard to man, christians have this statement, “what man is, is known”. Hence we are not investigating on that line; we leave that to those who are willing to spend their time and means in that way.
The Lord in the gospel of John is said to have known what was in man, and that His knowledge of what was in man led Him to refuse to have any confidence in him; John 2: 24, 25. Many of us, doubtless, would have thought that a great work of God was proceeding when many believed on the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem because of the signs; and, doubtless, those believers, or those who correspond with them in our times, might be numbered as converts. The fact that one under such influence raises his hand in acknowledgement of what he hears, is not conclusive that he is converted. I do not wish to undervalue what proceeds, but John sets us on our guard; he notifies us at the very outset of the danger of taking people at their word, when it comes to spiritual things. A man whose word might be his bond in natural things will utterly fail you in spiritual things, unless he is really born again. It says, “many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he wrought. But Jesus himself did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men” (John 2: 23, 24). Solomon had said, “what man is, is known”, and in the presence of Jesus on earth this is emphasised, and this knowledge leads the believer to distrust man. It is not that we live in the region of distrust in relation to our fellow-men. Of a truth, indeed, “all men are liars”. It is not that they are accustomed to tell lies about ordinary things; it is when the test is applied that a lie comes. And so the Lord did not commit Himself to them, for He knew all men.
The next chapter, therefore, introduces the necessity for the new birth. If there is to be anything reliable [p. 100] in regard to the things of God, a man must be born anew. Nicodemus says, “How can these things be?” It is a great matter when people begin to make inquiry; and we may expect this, for while the Spirit of God remains here, men shall be inquiring. Not inquiring in curiosity merely, as on Mars Hill, where they came to hear the news of the day — Nicodemus’ inquiry was not of that order, he had genuine exercises. And while the Holy Spirit is here there shall be such. And who is to answer the inquiries? John brings in a Man who knows. That is what I have before me. The Lord says to Nicodemus, “Thou art the teacher of Israel and knowest not these things!” Nicodemus did not know, although he should have known. How many teachers there are in “Israel” at the present time who do not know! If we are to be here in representation of Christ we must know.
The Lord proceeds to say to Nicodemus, “We speak that which we know”. John speaks therefore at the outset of One who can say, “We speak that which we know, we bear witness of that which we have seen,; and ye receive not our witness”. The Lord had to testify in conditions similar to our own, but nevertheless He testified what He knew and what He had seen. I want you to take in just that simple thought of a Man here dwelling among men, who could say “I know”, and who could go over the earthly things and unfold them as no one else could. Then also He could unfold the heavenly: “If I have said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how, if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe? And no one has gone up into heaven, save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven”. I want you to dwell upon that as illustrative of John’s ministry — that you are in the presence of One who knows. He knows what man is; He knows all the ways of God in regard to the earth, and He knows the heavenly. He came to earth with the infinite [p. 101] knowledge of what was in heaven, and He spoke it. “No one”, He says, “has gone up into heaven, save he who came down out of heaven”.
You see what christianity is from this passage; how all other religions simply disappear as utterly unworthy of comparison. Here is a Man who knows everything. He knows the ways of God on earth; He knows what man is, and He can bring out and unfold what is in heaven; and He does. So we have a perfect model; whatever I may know or not know, things are known, not only to God, but in a Man on earth, and they are brought down to us thus.
And so Nicodemus came to the right Man. If any one is in need, and has any inquiries, make sure that you find the right Man. There is the man that speaks froward things — beware of him; and the woman who flatters with her mouth — beware of her. The former includes the modernist, the infidel, the sceptic, who say what they wish to say without any fear and without regard to divine authority. The woman who “flatters with her mouth” is that which is connected with the senses: the feelings, the lusts; the theatres, the picture-shows. The christian has to be on his guard in regard to these two great agencies of the devil to nullify the revelation of God.
So John brings out that there is a Man who knows; and if you are exercised and make inquiry, make sure you find that Man. The apostle Paul brought this forward when writing to the Ephesians; he says, “ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery;” and the whole of the epistle to the Colossians is to guard the saints from man’s teaching — philosophy and vain deceit.
I want to go on to the epistle of John, to show you how the young believer has, in principle, by the possession of the Spirit, a means of being independent of man. He says, “Ye have an unction”. He is speaking to “little children;” and I desire to be as simple and as pointed as the beloved apostle, for he certainly did not aim over anybody’s head; he included the little ones in his epistle. He addresses believers in their varied stages of growth, and in this section he addresses the “little children”. He says to them, “Ye have [p. 103] the unction from the holy one, and ye know all things” (1 John 2: 20). That refers to the believer as having the Spirit, the unction referring to the Spirit; it dignifies the believer.
I see a christian recently converted, and he is reading the Bible, and I see him turning to God as he reads, and discarding the pernicious books that he read before he was converted. I see him, like the Ephesians when they were converted, burning the books, although they were costly, and I say, Although that young christian thinks very little of himself, in the eyes of heaven he is dignified. It is in a very little thing that you show you are taking on the heavenly dignity; for the olive tree (which is a type of the Spirit) in refusing to rule over the trees would not leave his function, for by him God was honoured and man was honoured.
If I accept the Bible and reject man’s productions, I am honouring God. What leads me to do that? the Spirit. The very instincts of the Spirit lead me to reject what is of man and to accept what is of God. Nicodemus had those instincts, although not yet having the Spirit; he says, “We know that thou art come a teacher from God” (John 3: 2). He did not know very much, but that was of paramount importance and he was dignified to that extent. He traced the miracles to their source, attributing them to God; and the One through whom they came had Himself come from God. So Nicodemus is on the line of learning, when he says, “we know that thou art come a teacher from God”.
Well, the apostle says to the little ones, “Ye have the unction from the holy one, and ye know all things”. That is what I might call potential. Although the young believer does not know things in detail, he does in principle, he has got the means of knowing them; whereas the most learned man, if unconverted, has not. The youngest believer has the unction from the Holy One to know all things.
The apostle says further, “the unction which ye have received” (verse 27). That word “received” means that there has been an action by the believer. The gift of the Spirit is from the divine side, but the reception is from my side. I have committed myself; so He says that “the unction which ye have received from him abides in you”. You may rely upon it, the Holy Spirit will not leave you; He is here to teach you. You are precious in the eyes of heaven, and the Holy Spirit has taken charge of you, and He will work to preclude all that is of man, “Ye have not need that any one should teach you” — that is not a man like the apostle John — all the gifts are men. What is referred to is the man that the Lord knew, and refused to trust, a man that is not born again, and one who has not got the Spirit; you do not need him.
Thus the believer is set up in the understanding of the Spirit in independency; he is dignified by the anointing. But one’s dignity is sustained so that one is in dependence. The word ‘independent’ is a good one for christians, but if you apply it in your relations with God, or with your brethren, it expresses what is bad. But it is a very important word as expressive of what we have in the Holy Spirit, so that I am independent of the men of this world to teach me I do not need them.
Now I want to show you from the book of Samuel how God brings forward the elements of help. In Christ you have a Man that knows; being ascended on high as a Man, He has received gifts in relation to men, and He has given them here, so that these things may be known; it says, “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” (Ephesians 4:12, 13). So there is that here which corresponds with Christ above; things are known, and what is known thus is available to every believer.
We have in Samuel the things whereby we are helped on this line of acquiring spiritual understanding and spiritual fitness for the representation of God. I do not dwell on the poor man who is alluded to here — Saul; he was a man after the flesh, and what applies to the man after the flesh applies to him. I refer to this chapter as setting forth what is available to the believer; what was available to Saul is available to every believer. These things were not recorded as mere history; they are available to us. So what we see is, Saul was anointed, and kissed — a very beautiful touch; a touch, indeed, which every young believer should experience. Then he was to have a position in relation to the inheritance of the Lord; he was to be captain of the inheritance. Think of being introduced to this! Think of having part in the inheritance! whatever your part may be in it. The apostle prayed for the Ephesians, that they might know what is “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1: 18). Think of having part in that! Saul is anointed and kissed, and then he departs. He is on his own responsibility now. A believer has to learn to walk; he has to start out on his own account, but fully furnished.
So Saul finds two men at Rachel’s sepulchre: “When thou goest from me today, thou shalt meet two men by Rachel’s sepulchre ... and they will say to thee, The asses are found which thou wentest to seek, and behold, thy father hath dismissed the matter of the asses, and is anxious about you,
[p. 105] saying, What shall I do for my son?” We come now to that which is to be reflected upon — the knowledge that comes of reflection. What a subject of reflection was Rachel’s sepulchre! You will remember how Jacob reared up a pillar over Rachel’s grave. Benjamin was born as she died. The more you stop and dwell on the sepulchre of Rachel, the more wonderful the thing becomes; the mother dies, but a son is born — the son of his mother’s sorrow, but of his father’s right hand. What knowledge comes of such reflections! Sorrow on the one hand — a believer is worth little or nothing who has not had sorrow. You may look out for sorrow in the christian path, for it is “through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22); but in the sorrow there is power. There is the Son of the Father’s right hand — crucified in weakness, indeed, but He lives by the power of God, and His strength is made perfect in weakness. That is what I may call the first lesson. It is the knowledge that comes of reflection in things presented to you.
But then you are a son too! Benjamin was the son of his father’s right hand. Saul, too, had a father and the father was sorrowing: “What shall I do for my son?” You are impressed at the outset that the Father is interested in you. It is a great comfort and a great source of strength to the young believer to know that God is interested in him as a son. Then the causes of any anxiety you may have will surely be removed for you: “The asses are found”.
These are elements divinely appointed, so that the believer might progress and have understanding and intelligence. The two men are witnesses by Rachel’s sepulchre; you find adequate testimony to these things, and to the interest that is in you. If there is a young believer here tonight who is not conscious of being a subject of interest, I can assure you that [p. 106] you are. You are wanted as a son; God would have you in that liberty. How much there was in all this for Saul, but there was no real ability in him to take it in! There is, however, in the believer ability to take in these things.
Having gone forward a little, you come in contact with people who go up to the house of God: “And thou shalt go on forward from thence, and shalt come to the oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God, to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three cakes of bread, and another carrying a flask of wine”. I address myself to the young people and I say, Have you met these three men? The house of God is a new thing to you, and you see men going up to it. There was a time when I wondered why people assembled together so regularly and with such interest. I had not the interest they had, but presently I got it. They were going up to God; it is a wonderful thing to see persons going up to God. Think of the sense of holiness that would mark such men! And they are not going up empty. Not only have they Bibles, so to speak, under their arms, but they know what is in them. Thank God for the open Bible, but then what about what is in it? I may have a Bible under my arm and not know what is in it. These men understood things; they had things in their hands — for us — spiritual things. As you will observe, one was carrying three kids, another three cakes of bread, and another a flask of wine. They were men that carried things; they had things; in their hands that referred to God, and they were going up to God. Have you met these three men? You may meet them constantly in many places and they ask after your welfare. In the so-called churches around there is but little of this. There is a stage in the progress of the believer where he comes into contact with people who are going up to God as in His house;
[p. 107] and they do not go up empty. In 1 Corinthians 14 we have the suggestion — one has a psalm, a teaching, etc. You have something; you know what God requires, and you are carrying something. A young believer coming into contact with such, learns what it is to go up to Bethel.
Then they give him two loaves of bread. Not only do I see what it is to go up to God, but I see I am in the region of gift. The woman in John 4: 10 came into the region of gift “If thou knewest the gift of God”. Now I know not only that God gives, but I know that the brethren give; if a man loves God, he gives.
Then he comes to the hill of God, where was a garrison of the Philistines. Things have been in your favour hitherto, but now you have enemies to contend with. The Philistines are at the hill of God; in the sphere of christian profession there are Philistines, men who are not christians. They are influencing people, and you have got to meet these men; you are to be “a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2: 3). You have to learn that. Then as you come into the city you find a situation that greatly encourages you. It is said, “thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with lute and tambour and pipe and harp before them; and they themselves prophesying”. Now you are in the region of prophecy — you have already come into the region of gift.
Everything was in Saul’s favour; as he comes into the city he finds a company of prophets and they have musical instruments, and he is in the region of prophecy. Our meetings are not for brethren to pass from one to another what each one knows; the principle of our meetings is prophetic. The things of which we speak should not be as at a distance; if the Holy Spirit is among us we have the spirit of prophecy. It is not a question of one saying what he [p. 108] knows, and another saying what he knows; it is a question of prophesying, and it ever will be so where the Spirit is.
“They themselves prophesying. And the Spirit of Jehovah will come upon thee” — Saul comes under the spirit of prophecy. What an experience that is! There are those who sit mute in the meetings, and are as spectators; the interested ones come under the spirit of prophecy, and say things they never expected to be able to say. Why? Because they have come under the spirit of prophecy. “And the Spirit of Jehovah will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man”. Look at that! Your view now is different; you have come under the spirit of prophecy, and you join in it. Take 1 Corinthians 14 again: an unbeliever or an ignorant person comes in — they are prophesying, and the man falls down and acknowledges that God is among them of a truth. He comes under the influence of prophecy. You see how Saul came under the influence of it: “the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied”. It is not now simply the anointing; it is a peculiar thing; it belongs to the company. When the Holy Spirit comes in, in this way, we are different; we are lifted out of what we are naturally. It is a wonderful experience, and it all tends to make the believer spiritually intelligent in regard of what is of God.
Samuel continues: “And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to thee, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou wait, until I come to thee and inform thee what thou shalt do”. Now, you see the believer has gone through all these things so that he might have the knowledge that comes of reflection, and have spiritual experiences, because of the Spirit — not only in himself, but in the company. It is one thing to [p. 109] have the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit, and to live in the Spirit; but it is another thing to understand the Spirit in the company, in the region of prophecy, where the mind of God is disclosed.
Now, after all this you go down to Gilgal, where everything is adjusted in your soul; you are sobered, you are not carried away by elation. It is a sort of ‘cooling’ process by which things find their level, and it is there where you are permanently formed, where you learn to judge the flesh and disentangle things in your mind, for fleshly feelings are sure to come up after such experiences. The real work is done at Gilgal, and you have to wait there. That is a test. You say, I have a gift; I have been prophesying, and I do this and that! You must learn to wait. Many have made shipwreck because they refused to wait. Saul lost the kingdom because he refused to wait and to act on the word of Samuel. Samuel had said, “Wait until I come”. You will have a blessed time at Gilgal, for God will be with you, helping you to judge and disallow the flesh. But Saul did not wait. Is there not a warning for us in all this? It is an immense thing to go to Gilgal and learn to wait after you are brought through this wonderful experience — after having so many spiritual things presented to you. The great things presented in Christ as for us are not to clothe the flesh, hence the necessity for Gilgal. May God bless these thoughts to us all!