READING (3)
READING (3)
JT In undertaking to consider this book, the thought was that we might see how a man according to God is developed; and then, when difficulties arise, to see how man according to man is developed. The first is seen in Samuel; the second in Saul. Our inquiry this morning led us to the beginning of chapter 4, where Samuel is seen as matured, and recognised from Dan to Beersheba. Chapter 1 shows the conditions obtaining in Israel which led to this development that we see in Samuel. It was pointed out that God always begins with what is mature, or full grown.
Ques When you refer to full growth, is that in view of taking up the service of God?
JT That is what appears here. It says in 1 Samuel 3: 19, “Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground”. We have no more reference to his growth, so that evidently he had reached maturity there. Already he was in possession of the mind of God in regard to Eli, and Eli’s house; and now the Lord is with him, and lets none of his words fall to the ground. His service is beginning, and God is helping him so that he should acquire recognition amongst those whom he served; hence it says, “All Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established a prophet of Jehovah” (verse 20).
Ques Would this thought of maturity apply to us, for do we not all continue to grow?
JT Yes; we never cease to grow in one sense, but there is what is termed perfection in Scripture:
“As many therefore as are perfect” (Philippians 3: 15) — which alludes to the development of the senses, [p. 29] of which there are five, and these should develop uniformly.
SJBC And we read in Hebrews 5: 14, that “solid food belongs to full-grown men, who, on account of habit, have their senses exercised for distinguishing both good and evil”.
JT Yes. I should take the growth that we are dealing with here to be represented by the class called “young men” in 1 John 2. Now after we have Samuel established, and recognised a prophet in Israel, we have three chapters in which he does not appear, namely, chapters 4, 5 and 6.
Ques What is the significance of that?
JT To show, I think, that God can take care of His testimony under all circumstances. In chapter 3 we have a man of God whilst Samuel was growing up; and then we have Samuel fully matured, and recognised as a prophet; then the ark is captured, and what comes out in this chapter would, I think, teach us that God can look after His testimony, even using instruments to this end that He has not formed. So we see the ark restored, and restored on spiritual lines; it is restored by oxen which, contrary to nature, left their young behind, and are offered up in sacrifice.
Ques Would anything answer to the ark being in captivity now?
JT It may be viewed in two ways: first, it refers to Christ personally delivered up to His enemies, but triumphing over them; and then, I think, it may be regarded as representing the testimony of Christ in a more extended way, even down to our own time. Paganism was overthrown by it; and reinstated paganism was overthrown by the testimony in Europe. It was first overthrown externally, but the stump remained; it fell on its face, and it was set up again; then its head was broken off, and its hands, so that the stump remained; but instead of [p. 30] those responsible being humbled by such a result, they became more darkened, they became superstitious. There was light in the overthrow of Dagon for all; it was God’s act, but it was never bowed to really. Instead of bowing to the powerful intervention of God, men grew superstitious, and instead of breaking down the whole system, seeing that God was against it, they became more darkened. That, indeed, is what we see around us at the present time, but nevertheless God withdraws not His hand until the ark is restored, and in a measure restored on spiritual lines.
SJBC I suppose the former operation teaches us more strictly the knowledge and the power of the enemy, overthrown, of course, when they cut off the head of Saul and sent it into the land of the Philistines round about, to announce the glad tidings in the houses of their idols. The idols did not fall down on that occasion.
JT This passage is alluded to in Psalm 78: 61 - 66 He “gave his strength into captivity, and his glory into the hand of the oppressor; And delivered up his people unto the sword, and was very wroth with his inheritance: The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not praised in nuptial song; Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation. Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth aloud ... and put them to everlasting reproach”. We have here, however, a more extended thought, which comes down to the present time. What we have to see, I think, is the pagan system, which has been retained in some measure; the head and the hands were broken off, but nevertheless the stump remained, and with it superstition (verse 5), which is one of the most darkening things in the world.
Ques Would you open up a little what you have in mind regarding the restoration of the ark? I [p. 31] think you suggested it was restored on spiritual lines, the oxen returning with it and leaving their young behind.
JT Well, you see in chapter 5 the history of the overthrow of Dagon, and the governmental act of God in smiting the Philistines with hemorrhoids. The god of this world was dealt with by the testimony, but the persons who were supporting idolatry are attacked governmentally. These are extended thoughts, but they are necessary for every one who serves, and indeed every Christian, to have before him, that he may know how God deals with the darkness of this world to make a way for the testimony. How far-reaching and how powerful His way is! And yet here there is neither Levite, priest, nor prophet in evidence. It is God dealing with the situation Himself, God and the ark, and then in the governmental act, the hemorrhoids attacked everybody. He is dealing with men severally in relation to His testimony; and this leads to a serious taking into account of things. The ark is sent from city to city, from place to place, only to bring out this governmental act of God. “And it came to pass, when the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people. And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark ... For there was deadly alarm throughout the city: the hand of God was very heavy there; and the men that died not were smitten with the hemorrhoids; and the cry of the city went up to heaven” (1 Samuel 5: 10 - 12).
Those who are set for the testimony can always rely on it that God will act; He will act governmentally against paganism, but He will also act directly with every man and woman who opposes Him. The governmental action here is of a secret, painful and humiliating character; it is most drastic,
[p. 32] but it brings about the desired result. Then the Philistines “called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah?” (1 Samuel 6: 2). And in result these men indicate what should be done, showing how God so orders things that His will shall be carried out, whatever the conditions. The advice of these priests and diviners is very far removed in quality from Hannah’s song or prayer; but nevertheless what they said indicated what God would have done. There was an acknowledgement of God, forced indeed, and not intended to indicate conversion; God, acting from Himself, was forcing things to carry out His will, without any testimony, by means of such as He found there. We may see another example of this in Balaam. God forced him to convey His mind. There are many instances one might refer to, but I just direct attention to this to indicate what God is, and what we can reckon on Him for, in such circumstances. Things can never be too bad for Him to act. He has always the means of working out His thoughts.
All this is leading up to chapter 7; it is, indeed, collateral with it. God can act even though there be neither priest nor Levite available. Samuel is there, but there is not a word about him; not a word about a prophet. God, Himself, is acting.
Rem In this extended way He might use people who are outside, unconverted priests, and others.
JT God makes everything further His testimony; what these priests and diviners said is very far removed from what Hannah would say, yet it is in the right direction. They said, “If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; ye must at any rate return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed ... . Five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice, the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague is upon them all, and upon your lords ... .
[p. 33] Why will ye harden your heart, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? When he had wrought mightily among them, did they not let them go, and they departed?” (1 Samuel 6: 3 - 6). You see how these men knew what God had done, and they bring it to bear on the present position, and yet they were Philistine priests and diviners.
Ques I suppose the trespass-offering here does not involve redemption; it is connected with government?
JT Well, they had an idea of a trespass-offering. Their idea was that God had to be appeased. We must not treat lightly any such ideas that men may have, for God may use them.
Rem The golden hemorrhoids and mice would be a confession that it was the judgment of God that was upon them.
JT Yes; there is a full recognition of the judgment that lay upon them.
Rem God had Samuel in the background.
JT Yes, God has His Samuel; but still He is acting in government to further His testimony. Through Samuel God intervenes directly, but here we have His governmental dealings.
Rem And we need to be spiritual in order to perceive what He is doing.
Rem He is acting in judgment in relation to the world, and Samuel would come in in relation to those who were of God. So that even in the darkest moment you have evidence that everything is being taken care o£ “Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him” (1 Peter 3: 22).
JT Yes; He has got control of everything, and all is actuated by Him to the furtherance of the testimony; and yet I do not believe one Christian in a hundred has any thought regarding God’s governmental [p. 34] activities for the preserving of the testimony. The whole world is under the government of God; every country. Samuel, on the other hand, was a vessel for the direct service of God to His people.
Ques Would you say that the nations in their deliberations have the support and help of God?
JT Certainly; but, of course, not in the direct way in which His people are helped.
Rem, Then perhaps, as you were suggesting, Christians do not believe sufficiently in the government of God.
JT It is a great comfort to see His eternal vigilance, and His power available to support His will. Everything is forced to support the testimony.
Rem So that we would not be depending upon the League of Nations to support it.
JT No. If men are acquainted with the Bible, that is well; many may be what we call ‘fundamentalists’, and they may defend the Bible; God is ordering that, though they might not be converted.
Rem And we are thankful for it, and pray for them to that end.
JT Yes, surely.
PL When the people were taken captive, do you think there was a recognition of this with the prophets?
JT Well, Ezekiel gives dates that indicate this; he recognises the government of God; he dates from the captivity.
Rem The priests and the diviners here recognise God in the course of events.
Rem What you were saying yesterday regarding the passover cup would have a bearing upon this; all is preserved in the present testimony.
JT Yes. The diviners recognise the judgment, though they do not make any reference to Dagon. They speak of the God of Israel (verse 3), and refer to what He did in Egypt. The cart is not a spiritual [p. 35] thought. You may be sure they will never fully answer to spiritual thoughts, for they are not on that line.
Ques What would you say about the men of Beth-shemesh?
JT We read that they looked into the ark of Jehovah. That would be an unhallowed way of treating the things of God. The testimony had come into their hands, and theirs were not priestly hands. They were Israelites, and so should have known better.
The milch kine are a remarkable type of the Lord Himself. Forsaking their natural offspring they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. They went against nature. The more you are with God, the more you go against what is simply natural. “The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite, and stood there; and a great stone was there. And they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine as a burnt-offering to Jehovah”. The men of Beth-shemesh were punished for looking into the ark of Jehovah. Then messengers are sent to the men of Kirjath-jearim asking them to come and fetch up the ark to that place. It was therefore brought up and placed in the house of Abinadab, and Eleazar his son was sanctified to keep it, and it remained there for twenty years.
It is to this very point that David leads in Psalm 132: 6, “Behold, we heard of it at Ephratah, we found it in the fields of the wood”. From this place David takes it up; and he had to learn that it must be carried in a levitical way. There is no excuse for David using the cart, or for the men of Beth-shemesh looking into the ark. When the Bible comes into our hands, and we have the Spirit, we as true Christians must not look into the ark, nor may we put it on a cart; for God deals with us according to the light [p. 36] He has given us, according to our relationship with Him.
Rem And David had to learn this afterwards, when Jehovah made a breach upon Uzzah for his error in taking hold of the ark when the oxen had stumbled.
JT Whilst we recognise those men whom God uses governmentally, we must be very careful not to imitate them or their methods. What God does governmentally is one thing, and what He does through His priests is another.
Ques Could the Bible be put on a cart?
JT When I refer to the Bible, I refer to that which reveals the mind of God; and any human means that may be employed to further the testimony would be represented in the cart. The testimony should be presented by converted persons, by matured persons, by true Levites.
Rem We see in Christendom how frequently the things of God are brought forward in a merely human way.
JT That is what marks the whole system around us — natural ability and human learning and ceremony; whereas the priests and the Levites are supported by the Spirit of God. Paul says, “I will not dare to speak anything of the things which Christ has not wrought by me, for the obedience of the nations, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God; so that I, from Jerusalem, and in a circuit round to Illyricum, have fully preached the glad tidings of the Christ” (Romans 15: 18, 19). He did not use a cart.
Ques Do you think that Samuel knew well what was going on, but did not interfere?
JT I think it is rather that God is presenting this as another feature. We cannot be sure as to dates, but these things run together; and these [p. 37] three chapters present the government of God in promoting and taking care of the testimony.
Now in chapter 7 we come back to the ark in the hands of Israel, and one sanctified to keep it; and God has His people brought back, for we read in verse 3 that “Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye return to Jehovah with all your heart, put away the strange gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and apply your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. And the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served Jehovah only”. You have thus the mind of the Lord directly communicated through Samuel.
Ques Is repentance indicated in verse 6?
JT Yes. We are now in the presence of Samuel, through whom the mind of God is unfolded. Then the answer to that is that they pour water on the ground. Samuel does not do it; the people do it.
Rem Samuel waits for God to act governmentally before he unfolds His mind to the children of Israel.
JT Yes, he acts on the results of the government of God; and so should every true servant.
SJBC Water spilt on the ground is an example of weakness, as is shown by the woman of Tekoah; (2 Samuel 14: 14).
JT Yes. She said that as one who had the words put into her mouth, but nevertheless they are perfectly true words; she said, “we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again”. But here the water is poured out before Jehovah, so that there is hope of it being gathered up. And in answer to that Samuel offers the whole burnt-offering, a sucking lamb, to Jehovah. The one is typical of what we are, and as poured out before the Lord was the acknowledgement of their state before Him; but the sucking lamb represents [p. 38] the intrinsic worth of Christ as presented to God. So that we are taken up now according to this.
Ques Would the pouring out of the water on the ground indicate that idolatry amongst them had been judged?
JT No doubt. It is a complete acknowledgement of their state. It indicates that they must disappear for ever as on the ground of the flesh. Man must go back into the earth whence he came. The whole burnt offering is for God; so that resurrection is the legitimate answer to that. We are gathered up again on the ground of the sacrifice of Christ. We are gathered up in resurrection. The water, as I have said, indicates what we are before God-nothing! The whole burnt-offering is what is positively for God; the intrinsic value of Christ presented wholly to God.
Rem The sucking lamb is a very beautiful type; it suggests Christ in dependence on God.
JT Yes; peculiarly precious to God at that moment.
PL Would this suggest Philadelphia in Revelation 3: 8, “Thou hast a little power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name?” Are they gathered up now?
JT Quite so; and it shows the manhood of Samuel; how mature he was; how he sees God’s ideal, Christ. With the mature man everything is comely and right.
Rem He not only saw the situation, but he saw the remedy.
JT The state of the people is taken account of by Samuel; they had poured out the water, and he offers the lamb, and he prays. He enters into all these exercises; he is marked by dependence on God. And so God thunders on the Philistines.
SJBC Samuel subdued the Philistines by [p. 39] prayer; that was something that Saul could not do with his sword.
JT The hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Ques The moment the people humble themselves at Mizpah, the Philistines, who had sent back the ark because they had been smitten, again go to war against them. How do you view that?
JT As soon as brethren come together and recognise their true state before God, recognise the assembly, and what is due to the Lord, then the Philistines will turn against them.
Samuel here is on the side of the people, he conveys the mind of God to them; but he is on the side of the people when he prays for them and offers the sacrifice.
SJBC Whom do the Philistines represent? Is there not in each of us the Philistine element more or less, unless we judge it? Do you refer to persons so much as to a moral element?
JT Well, I think we are entitled to refer to persons — I mean persons who are not Christians; persons who have taken up a position externally without acknowledging death on themselves. Here the people of Israel are acknowledging that death is on them, by the pouring out of the water. Now that is the very opposite to the Philistine idea. The Philistines are people of fame, people who have acquired a reputation; they will go with you to a point, but as soon as the saints come together in true humiliation and self-judgment before God, then you will find they will turn on you; they will not go so far as that.
Ques What does the gathering to Mizpah signify in contrast to Shiloh?
JT I think it indicates a new point of departure. The mature man knows what is becoming, and he does not pretend to go on the old lines. God had [p. 40] judged the old position. Samuel in spiritual intelligence begins anew.
Ques The ark was not returned to Shiloh, was it?
JT No; it was never returned to Shiloh. Samuel makes no effort to restore the ark, or prepare a place for it. It is with him rather a question of the state of the people, and getting them through self-judgment into relation with God.
Rem And in that way he combines the offices of prophet and priest; he intercedes.
Rem And then in all this he is an expression of spiritual manhood.
JT Yes, he knows what to do; he is a man who had understanding of the times, and knew what Israel had to do. Then the Holy Spirit proceeds to tell us that Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. It is really as much as to say that God will never give this man up. Because God would occupy us with such a man as this; He would have us keep him in view, a man with whom God was well pleased.
SJBC What about these four places which Samuel visited from year to year in circuit?
JT That would indicate how different he was from Eli; he did not grow fat in laziness. Bethel means “the house of God”. He recognised the house of God in his circuit; and at Gilgal he would recognise the judgment of God on man in the flesh — he maintained that in his ministry. You will always find these features in a man who is with God. He will insist on the house of God, and in doing that he has to see that it is not simply local, it is universal, it includes all the saints; and he will insist on the judgment of the flesh.
Rem He goes out from Bethel carrying the principles of the house of God.
JT Yes; the principles of the house of God are maintained really in the visit to Gilgal. Because [p. 41] you do get encouragement among the saints in serving them, but then you have to be careful lest you become elated; therefore you go to Gilgal. And so you see it is “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts” (Zechariah 4: 6). To the apostle He says, “My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12: 9).
Ques What is the significance of the stone being set between Mizpah and Shen, and called Eben-ezer?
JT The word Eben-ezer means, ‘hitherto hath the Lord helped us’. How beautiful it is to see that a man of such power as Samuel does not attribute anything to himself; it is all what God is doing. One could understand that Samuel would love to have that stone near to the centre of his operations.
I think Mizpah would institute a new beginning. There is no command what to do. It was on Samuel’s own initiative, but evidently God was with him in it.
Rem It was wonderful that he could say what he did, when the ark had not come back.
JT Yes, a brother might come to him and say, Well, Samuel, you seem to have, got something of your own, you do not recognise tradition, you do not recognise the fathers. But, Samuel says, look at that stone; God is with us! If God is with us, what can be said? There was abundant evidence that He was with Israel now — the Philistines were subdued.
Rem The Lord is here dealing with the enemies in a public way; you were directing attention to the fact that previously He had been dealing with them in a secret way.
JT Yes; now He is thundering on them. What can you do in the presence of thunder? It is overwhelming! So there is the complete defeat of the Philistines. And that is what Samuel recognises. If anybody questions the new movement, he could say, Well, there is the power, and who can deny it?
[p. 42] Ques What would you say would be a corresponding indication in our day?
JT The power of God is the great thing. Of course you have the doctrine, but the convincing thing is the power of God, and you cannot get away from that.
PL You find that illustrated in Stephen. They could not withstand the power with which he spoke, and he was bringing in what was new.
JT Quite so; and his face was like that of an angel. They could not contend with him; they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Now the last -of the places mentioned in the circuit, that our brother has called attention to, is Ramah. That is where Samuel’s house was. He judged Israel where his house was. One’s house has to be right for this. I suppose Ramah signifies elevation. I think it is an allusion to what is morally elevated in what is specially the Lord’s own immediate circle. It says, “there he built an altar to Jehovah”. So you have an order of things there in which God is fully owned. Samuel’s altar at Ramah would indicate the place God had with him. If Samuel’s house had not been in order, he could not have gone round on circuit.
Rem It says, “There was peace between Israel and the Amorites”. It reminds one of Proverbs 16: 7: “When a man’s ways please Jehovah, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him”.