DIVINE SYSTEM IN EXODUS (2)
[p. 165] DIVINE SYSTEM IN EXODUS (2)
Exodus 5: 1 - 23; Exodus 6: 1, 14; Exodus 7: 1 - 7
JT For the benefit of those absent this morning it may be stated that we are engaged in these readings with the earlier chapters of the book of Exodus which disclose a system, a divine system designed of God to deliver souls out of Egypt, that is, out of the world. We read this morning out of chapters 2, 3 and 4, touching only on chapters 1 and 2. We were engaged almost entirely with Moses as representing the elements of the divine system, having Aaron in view. Chapter 3 was not touched on, but it was read to bring out how the material in the system was affected by God in the appearing to Moses in ‘the burning bush’, as it is commonly called. Chapter 4 was read to bring out the brotherly relations that evidently must enter into the divine operative system, that is, love entering into it. Love between brothers involves family relations, love entering into family relationships. It is evident that love is basic in the divine operative system; indeed the formula for it is “faith working through love”. So we have at first a brother and a sister of the tribe of Levi, and then two brothers, their sons, these two men Moses and Aaron. They are seen in the end of chapter 4 as linked together in the operative service; it is said, “And Jehovah said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him”. It was remarked that worship is necessarily in mind; it runs throughout, out the divine operations, but associated with love, brotherly love. Peter’s second epistle was quoted this morning, that we are to add to “brotherly love love”; brotherly love, and love added to it. Such love is essential to divine operations whether locally or generally.
[p. 166] Now at this time it is thought that we should see in chapter 5 the actual state and condition of the people that were to be delivered, and how a systematised thought is carried through into chapters 6 and 7. Chapter 5 shows a degraded condition, the state of the people is one of bondage and degradation and cruelty. Chapter 6, involving the system, shows the people as dignified, they have their dignity tribally. Then there is the priestly family; so that chapter 6 is over against chapter 5. Chapter 5 is degradation and cruelty and bondage: chapter 6 is tribal national greatness, that is, the saints of God viewed in their dignity, necessarily entering into their deliverance. Then the system is carried through in chapter 7 where we are told that Jehovah said to Moses, “See, I have made thee God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land”. Then we are told in verse 6, “And Moses and Aaron did as Jehovah had commanded them: so did they”. And verse 7 goes on to say, “And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh”.
AEH To refer back to the end of chapter 4, your suggestion in regard to faith working by love: is this scene suggestive of Paul calling the elders of Ephesus and speaking to them of what had marked him at Ephesus, pointing to what characterised his ministry — that the work of faith and labour of love entered into all the localities which he visited?
JT Yes; adding to what we had this morning as to the final relations between Peter and Paul, representative servants of the dispensation. What reciprocal, mutual relations existed, especially seen in Peter speaking of Paul as “our beloved brother Paul”; not, “our beloved apostle”, but “our beloved brother”! Also he refers to Silvanus as “the faithful brother”, Silvanus evidently being Silas, the same one that worked with Paul; “the faithful brother”, Peter says, “as I suppose”. So that brotherly relations were good between Peter and Paul, although there had been friction, at least on Peter’s side; but now they are blessedly and happily in the relations of brotherly love which are so essential to the operation of the system that God has set up.
AEH The sovereignty of God seems to come into the plan at a particular juncture, when there was a change-over from Barnabas to Silvanus. There is some indication in all Peter’s writings to make way for the shaking conditions that may come in. I wonder if that might make way for the changes that may come in among the saints?
JT No doubt. Good brotherly relations are essential to the operation of the system we are speaking of. They are founded on sonship. Peter never ministered sonship, according to the records of Scripture. Doubtless he had the revelation of the Son; he knew who the Lord was, the Son of the living God, but it did not enter into his ministry. Not that he deliberately shut it out, but he ministered what the Spirit gave him. But he brings it in his last letter in a most beautiful and touching way, in reference to the Voice that was heard on the mount, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight; and this voice we heard uttered from heaven, being with him on the holy mountain”, 2 Peter 1: 17, 18. The idea of sonship enters into that, the idea of excellence. Paul preached the Son of God; indeed it is characteristic of the first preaching we have of his. He announced and preached in the synagogue that Jesus is the Son of God. He began that way. He tells us later that God “was pleased to reveal his Son in me, that I may announce him as glad tidings among the nations”, Galatians 1: 16. And he tells them in the second letter to the Corinthians that the Son of God has been preached “by me and Silvanus and Timotheus”. He is the Yea and Amen of everything: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him. For whatever promises of God there are, in him is the yea, and in him the amen, for glory to God by us”, 2 Corinthians 1: 19, 20. It especially brings out this essential point for divine operations and those who are active in them, that brotherly love should be there. Let brotherly love continue; it is essential to the system, and so it is that sonship is the leading thought in Paul’s ministry in the gospel.
JRH Would these thoughts of sonship and brotherly love issue in the doxology at the end of Peter’s second epistle? “To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen”.
JT It is a state of things that is fit for eternity, where the Son Himself is subject, as we are told, that God may be all in all. So that is the position, that we are filled to the fulness of God and have an understanding of the spirit of sonship.
Ques Does that spirit operating in the system shut out rivalry?
JT Yes; that is one of the exclusive thoughts of it. We are not rivals of each other; in sonship each esteems the other better than himself. So that in the letter to the Corinthians, to brethren who are not happily united, we are told that love never fails.
ASB Has Peter to learn that in John 21, in relation to love shepherding the sheep? Might there be rivalry there? “When therefore they had dined, Jesus says to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?”
JT [p. 169] Yes. He was, we might say, a bit egotistical in saying he loved the Lord more than the others, and that he would not deny the Lord, and that is what the Lord had in mind. Does that hold good yet, Peter, — the Lord would say in effect — or have you changed? He had changed. So that the operation of the system was made to hinge on the Lord’s remarks to him: “Lovest thou me more than these? ...Feed my lambs”. It is a question of love, not love in rivalry, but love in esteeming others better than ourselves. The Lord is teaching Peter to fit in; but even after this lesson he said to the Lord, “And what of this man?” That is Peter again. The Lord never had popery in mind; the pope would tell everyone what to do, but the Lord is saying that that is not going to prevail at all in this system. Peter was not over John. “If I will that he abide until I come, what is that to thee?” The Lord is telling us that such things are not our business; there is plenty to do, but it is not our work to regulate the brethren in the service. So the Lord says, “Follow thou me”.
LES Would the prophetic word in Hosea 11 bear on this? “When Israel was a child, then I loved him... I drew them with bands of a man, with cords of love” (verses 1, 4).
JT “I it was that taught Ephraim to walk” (verse 3). Well, that is the point. Peter says, “What shall this man do?” It is a question of walk: “Follow thou me” is a question of walking, following in His steps. John had to do that too. The Lord teaches us how to walk; that is the book of Numbers, how He taught Ephraim to walk. The brethren are set in relation to God in the tabernacle and then in relation to one another; four groups of three each around the tabernacle, each has to find his place. That is how we are taught to walk.
[p. 170] Ques Subsequently Peter seems to have been greatly helped, according to his writing. He tells the elders how to act, “not as lording it over your possessions”, 1 Peter 5: 3. Would he see how it is worked out himself?
JT Quite so. It is remarkable the instructions that are found in Peter’s ministry, the very one popery is professedly founded on.
AP Would the happening on the mount of God when Aaron met Moses and kissed him, be essential before there could be practical deliverance of the saints out of Egypt?
JT It is to show that love is operative among the brethren generally and how it culminates in worship, the very opposite to rivalry.
HB God says that Aaron will be glad in his heart when he meets Moses. Would that be a challenge to us as to greeting one another?
JT Yes, quite so.
AAT I noticed that you said at the beginning that the divine system is designed to deliver our souls out of Egypt, and yet this worship all takes place in Egypt.
JT Yes; it is before they go out to the wilderness. The worship is not to be deferred. The primary thought is that they are to go out to the wilderness to serve Jehovah, but they are able to do it now, as is indicated here: “And when they heard that Jehovah had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped” (chapter 4: 31). It is the kind of worship that flows from what God does for us. It is not exactly worshipping “in spirit and truth”, like John 4: 24; that is because of what He is to us, but this is because of what He does.
AAT It is not very far on, but God has something in it. It is like a believers’ meeting.
JT But the underlying thought [p. 171] is love.
ASB Is there something in the fact that Jehovah spoke to Aaron in this section? He was speaking to Moses earlier, but now it is to Aaron in verse 27.
JT You get that continued later on; Aaron is often addressed directly, but so far the position in general is, “Moses and Aaron”; and chapter 7 says, “Jehovah said to Moses, See, I have made thee God to Pharaoh”, so that the communications so far are properly from Jehovah to Moses, and Aaron is the spokesman. Chapter 7 is especially in mind in regard to the system because in these two brothers it is a system representative of God.
JRH Would it be right to say that Moses and Aaron in their approach to Pharaoh are greatly strengthened in moving, not merely as individuals, but with all the faith and worship of the people behind them?
JT The instruction is cumulative. Moses is the prime thought of God and it is he who gets the signs from Jehovah. Aaron comes in incidentally, as you might say. There was a vacancy, a lack in the system and he is added, but he is added by a link of love; not just as appointed, but added in love. He is thy brother, God says; we must keep that in mind. It is a question of your brother, and he is going out to meet you and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart. Aaron kissed Moses. The love is evidently at first on Aaron’s side and therefore it would be a balance, because Moses was younger than Aaron. Moses had the light, the gift, ability and commission, but Aaron had the love, and love never fails. Even if a brother is younger than you, and has more ability, love will save you from rivalry. Later history would show that Moses led in love as in all else.
AEH This morning in referring to Jacob as mentioned earlier in the book, you connected it with the Psalms; and in the beginning of chapter 5,
Moses in addressing Pharaoh says, “Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel”. These Levites, even though approaching Pharaoh in connection with the sufferings of the people, are acting in the light and power of God’s purpose as they bring in that name of God, “the God of Israel”.
JT I think the Psalms help us on that point. In the service of God we need not only the light of God’s counsel as in Genesis, but we need the experience that enters into it. So that whilst Abraham is the great father, “who is father of us all”, yet Israel, or Jacob, is mentioned far more frequently in the book of Psalms than Abraham. So in Psalm 24: 6, it is said, “This is the generation of them that seek unto him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah”.
AEH Is that the thought that enters into the book of The Revelation? Worshipping companies come to light there. They remember God, and not only as He is revealed in Christ but His ways on the earth in regard to matters of His judgment; it seems to add tone and quality to their worship.
JT Yes. The four and twenty elders in Revelation 4 represent experience with God. The living creatures are not representative of experience with God, but are representative of life; so that in the elders and the living creatures we have the combination of life and experience. In verse 8 it is said, “And the four living creatures, each one of them having respectively six wings; round and within they are full of eyes; and they cease not day and night saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come”. That is what they are doing; and verses 9 to 11 tell us why they are worshipping: “And when the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanksgiving to him that sits upon the throne, who lives to the ages of ages, the twenty-four elders shall fall before him that sits upon the throne, and do homage to him [p. 173] that lives to the ages of ages; and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou are worthy, O our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy will they were, and they have been created”. It is important as to experience involved in eldership, that we not only set examples to the flock, we not only do right things, but we tell why we do them; we point out what God is.
HGH Is that the reason Aaron is brought in? Moses would appear to lack that experience in chapter 4.
JT Yes; the chapter brings out certain defects in Moses. Where defects of great servants are called attention to, it is not that God would cast a shade on any of them. Moses is great enough to stand it, and there is value for us in the narration. Moses lacks wisdom in calling the people rebellious, and God records it that we in our little service should not belittle the saints. Indeed Paul himself when belittled says, All things are yours — even the servants are yours — whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, all are yours. So the servant keeps the saints in mind in their dignity.
LES In the book of Deuteronomy Moses says, “The Lord was angry with me for your sakes”.
JT Deuteronomy enables us to understand what the three preceding books set out. It is what Moses sees himself, as it were. And we learn in that book that he suffered for the sake of the saints.
SMcC Zipporah’s spirit and language seem to be beneath the dignity of the system that is operating in the way she addresses Moses in verses 25 and 26.
JT Quite so. The position really is broken. It is a humbling chapter as regards Moses, and his wife is not helping him. So it is a broken picture, but it ends beautifully, and it is the unfailingness of love that gains the victory. In verse 26 she says, “A bloody husband — because of the circumcision”. God Himself had been about to deal most drastically with Moses. But then verse 27 is love, and we ought to look for a change if there are any broken conditions, because love is a sure remedy, it never fails. So that Aaron kissed his brother Moses, and Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah who had sent him and all the signs that He had commanded him. “And Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel; and Aaron spoke all the words that Jehovah had spoken to Moses, and did the signs before the eyes of the people”. I think there you get relief coming in from the disorderly condition in the earlier part of the chapter. Love can undo wrong. The two brothers had a good time on the mountain. As to this beautiful result, Aaron is not adding something and saying, I can say that better, but he says what Moses says; he is Moses’ spokesman, and the result is that the people believed; and when they heard that Jehovah had visited the children of Israel, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. Faith is developed in them because of this happy, lovable condition between the two brothers. It is a dispensation of faith that we are in, and here we see how it is promoted by the happy state of love existing between these two great servants, brothers.
SMcC So where the picture may be broken, as you were suggesting, but love becomes victorious, all the saints may be affected as we have in the verse referred to where they bowed their heads and worshipped.
JT We have to be on our guard so that we may not hinder that. Love brings the change.
AEH It is faith working by love here.
AP Is the spirit of independence removed in 1 Corinthians 13, making room for the ministry meeting to go forward happily in chapter [p. 175] 14?
JT A brother may be giving a good word, but someone sitting by may have a revelation, and that supersedes what he is doing and he sits down. Love is essential to the operations in the assembly.
ASB What would you say about the mountain of God, the place mentioned in relation to the meeting of the two brothers?
JT We could link that with Genesis 22, “On the mount of Jehovah will be provided”. The mountain of Jehovah symbolizes divine resources. We know how much came out there afterwards.
ASB In chapter 3 it says Moses went “to Horeb”. It is not yet said to be Sinai, it is Horeb.
JT The position there is made very clear. It says, “he led the flock behind the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God — to Horeb”. Horeb is the covenant mount; it is in the same range as Sinai, but the two words are used in the way of classification. Horeb is the covenant mount, and Sinai the mount of the law. Moses led the flock to the mountain of God, to the right spot, and the angel appeared to him there. Aaron also went there, it is put that way; Jehovah said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses”. There is no preamble at all. We do not know when they saw each other last; there might have been a long time of separation; but Aaron went and met Moses on the mountain of God and kissed him. It is not very remarkable that two brothers should kiss each other, but the Spirit of God considers it necessary to tell us that Aaron kissed Moses. It is important to know how to kiss divinely, to know what a holy kiss is.
WR Do you think the state of the people affected Aaron in Numbers 12 when he and Miriam murmured against Moses? Recovery was quick on the part of Aaron.
JT [p. 176] Yes, and he interceded for his erring sister. How often a sister comes in to cause dissension amongst the brethren! Now in saying all that, I think it is important for us to follow the result of cumulative circumstances, that faith is coming in; then the people worshipped, believing. Then chapter 5 tells us of the great sufferings of the people, of the degraded conditions they are in because of their bondage to Pharaoh. It is certainly a very different scene from the end of chapter 4, and we have to see now how the degradation and suffering and reproach relate to chapter 6, where Moses and Aaron come in again. In verse 26 of that chapter it says, “This is that Aaron and Moses”; and then in verse 27, “this is that Moses and Aaron”. Then in the next chapter we are told how old Moses was; he was eighty and Aaron was eighty-three. The Spirit of God pursues the history of these two brothers, so they should be in our minds. What we have to see now is the practical lesson for us in the vicious opposition of Satan in Pharaoh. How unreasonable he is, and how pretentious! He says in chapter 5: 2, “Who is Jehovah, to whose voice I am to hearken to let Israel go? I do not know Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go”. He continues his arrogant attitude in verses 3, 4 and 5. I think we may see how this chapter in a practical way contemplates the everyday employment of the saints, young saints especially. Satan attacks us in these circumstances; we are perhaps looked down upon, belittled, brow-beaten. And in our chapter things are becoming worse and worse, no relief in sight in spite of the word from Jehovah; even Moses and Aaron come under the power of Satan in the way he attacks the saints.
AEH Have you any idea why this one time, in verse 4, it is “the king of Egypt” instead of “Pharaoh”? Is it fully identifying the position, so that there is no mistaking the opposition?
JT It is, I think, to stress the power against the people; to show the advantageous position of persons in this world, employers, men of money; what power they have in their hands, and how Satan uses it to oppress the saints, to cause unbelief and complaint. It is a warning to us in view of our coming out of the world. Such persons are pictured in the king of Egypt and the taskmasters: “And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the number of the bricks they have made heretofore shall ye lay upon them: ye shall not diminish any of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let them put heavier labour on the men, that they may be taken up with it, and not regard vain words. And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh: I will not give you straw: go ye, get yourselves straw where ye may find it; but none of your work shall be diminished. And the people were scattered abroad throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. And the taskmasters urged them, saying, Fulfil your labours, the daily work, as when there was straw. And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and it was said, Why have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and today, as heretofore?” Let us notice that it is the king of Egypt and the taskmasters against the children of Israel and their officers; the position is turned against the people. It is of great importance to see this, because young people whom God has [p. 178] delivered out of Egypt are often caught in this way and become complainers.
SMcC Often turning against the ministry, I suppose, the operation of the system through Moses and Aaron, blaming the ministry in a complaining spirit.
JT They are blaming Moses and Aaron: “And the officers of the children of Israel saw that it stood ill with them, because it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, the daily work. And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood there to meet them, as they came out from Pharaoh. And they said to them, Jehovah look upon you and judge”. We have to be on our guard how our spirits are on Monday after the Lord’s day. Our employer is harsh, maybe, and we get overwhelmed and bitter and complaining and come home in a bad spirit. Satan is in that.
BP Does the need of righteousness enter into that, the idea of doing what we are commanded by our masters in a right spirit as those taken out of the world morally?
JT Peter helps us on this part of our subject. He instructs us to be entirely subject and non-complaining as a matter of actual righteousness in what we are told to do. Employers may be very unreasonable, but we ought to learn to overcome in such circumstances.
ASB Is there something in the idea of the great brick system being carried forward from Genesis 11? There “they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar”.
JT Bricks are a human product — not so durable as stone. The position here was almost impossible; what was demanded of them was almost impossible to fulfil, and when such a thing arises we had better stand still and see what God will do for us. It is better to be quiet and suffer — Peter tells [p. 179] us that. They do not suffer quietly here, their spirits are irritated and they turn against the servants. They blame the brethren.
AEH “For what glory is it, if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear it? but if, doing good and suffering, ye shall bear it, this is acceptable with God”, 1 Peter 2: 20. Mr. Darby has added a footnote to “good”, that it means “beneficent”.
JT That is the passage I was thinking of. I am sure the Mondays are a real test for young people because of the character of the employers. No doubt unionism is the product of it in the world, but unionism is the very opposite to the way of God and to the Spirit of Christ.
HGH The activities of God are on behalf of His people in the officers interceding for the children of Israel: “Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dost thou deal thus with thy bondmen?”
JT They are the Israelites’ own officers, their own people. The taskmasters are higher up, responsible directly to Pharaoh; he is the king and more powerful. So that the thing is to meet it in the Spirit of Christ. It says of the Lord, that He “gave himself over into the hands of him who judges righteously”, 1 Peter 2: 23.
Rem If my spirit is affected on Monday, it will affect the system on Monday night.
JT Yes; the prayer meeting is the right outlet, and relief comes in there.
LES Do you think the position is like that in Acts 4? “And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and give to thy bondmen with all boldness to speak thy word, in that thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and that sighs and wonders take place through the name of thy holy servant Jesus”.
JT Quite so. That is the right spirit in servants, those who work the work of the Lord. But this, I [p. 180] think, refers to our own everyday work, such as on Mondays, and I do not think any one of us will deny it is a very real test; the devil is using our employers, the taskmasters, those high up too. Our spirits become irritated and deified and there is no testimony.
FKC It says, “Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, do ye also arm yourselves with the same mind”, 1 Peter 4: 1. It is a question of our arming ourselves to meet this.
JT That is the idea. There are different armours: there is the armour of the mind, the armour of God and the armour of light; here it is the mind that is to be armed. It is the attitude of my mind, and I am not to be overcome but wait for God to come in. We are to wait to see what God will do after the prayer meeting. At the end chapter 5 Moses himself is distressed; so it says in chapter 6, “And Jehovah said to Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land”. That may be looked for after the prayer meeting, what God will do.
Rem In verses 6, 7 and 8 God says, “I will”, “I will”, “I will”.
JT Yes; first, in verse 2, “God spoke to Moses, and said to him, I am Jehovah. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as the Almighty God; but by my name Jehovah I was not made known to them”. He brings Himself before Moses as the Almighty God. He is telling Moses about Himself, and a revelation is made to him. “And I established also my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were sojourners. And I have heard also the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians have forced to serve, and I have remembered my covenant. Therefore say [p. 181] unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their service, and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm, and with great judgments. And I will take you to me for a people, and will be your God; and ye shall know that I, Jehovah your God, am he who bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians”. That is what you had in mind, God’s “I will”. The meeting for prayer is really the victory meeting. In a general way the prayer meeting begins in New Zealand while it is still the Lord’s day in this country and moves around finishing up in America on the Pacific coast. It is a long period and God is hearing and we shall get the answers. Those will be in these expressions, “I will”.
HB In chapter 6 God reverts to the thought of the land.
JT Yes; and not only to these great thoughts including the land, but He brings in the genealogy of the tribes, first Reuben, then Simeon and then Levi. But Levi opens up a new page, a chapter of glory, the greatness attaching to the priestly family to which we all belong. The prayer meeting is linked with that.
SMcC So no more is said as to the generations after Levi is introduced, as if the end is reached.
JT Levi, as it were, has all the tribes incorporated in the tribe of glory, and would link up this idea with Deuteronomy 33 where we shall see what a tribe it is, the priestly family. Well, when are we going to enter into all this? The chapter opens up an eternal state of things to us, full of personal glory that culminates in Eleazar and Phinehas: “And Eleazar Aaron’s son took one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers [p. 182] of the Levites according to their families”. Phinehas has the everlasting priesthood.
AAT You spoke about how we are tested by our jobs and our employers; as living in abnormal times and doing war work, meetings are likely to be missed; is that in line with what you were speaking about?
JT The extra work hinders development in the saints, and also the extra hours worked bring relatively larger incomes, and our cupidity is aroused by the possibility of great earnings. It is really against the priesthood. It is what God is doing that is the point. This system that we want to understand is a liberating system and God is setting it over against the system of oppression.
Rem If I am suffering I would recall the fact that God delivered Jacob from Laban.
JT Yes; Jacob does not say his wages increased ten times, but they changed ten times. That was a complaint, it was really a hardship to his mind, a good cause for unionism, but we do not want to live in that; Jacob was on low ground when he talked about his wages being changed. Christ is our great Priest above; Melchisedec is the very acme of priestly greatness and dignity.
SMcC In 2 Corinthians 6, among the sufferings and afflictions narrated Paul injects this word: “in the Holy Spirit”. Would that have a bearing on chapter 6 over against chapter 5?
JT Yes; that is the power of the thing. The word in very often means ‘in the power of’. “In the Holy Spirit” means it is in that power; it is victory over against what he has been speaking about. I think this chapter ought to be in our minds over against chapter 5, as indicating the system of love, the system that God is setting up. We shall see from chapter 7 onwards that Moses is not only representative to man but he is made God to Pharaoh, and [p. 183] Aaron is his prophet. The servant is made representative of God. I mention that so that we shall have it before us.
JRH Another of Peter’s words would link on with this, that “the Spirit of God rests upon you”.
JT Quite so.