THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD
[p. 277] THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD
Ruth 3:15; Ruth 4:1,2; Nehemiah 11:1,2; Zechariah 12:5 - 8
I wish to speak this evening about a city, as I may call it in the language of Scripture — “the city of the living God” Hebrews 12:22, and how it is to be apprehended in its setting in the purpose of God, and how it is to be brought down to our apprehension and practice in the present time. Scripture always applies to what may be regarded as the present time in any given period; what may be designated the present time is governed by present truth, and that present truth is supported, the bearing of Scripture is always upon it.
So in regard to this great subject of the city of God, it comes in after man has built his city or cities. The city that Cain built, was called after the name of his son (Genesis 4:17), that is the first city mentioned, and the second is built by Nimrod. These afford us the features of the cities of this world. They are all in view in the Apocalypse, where we have mention of “the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified”, Revelation 11:8. The cities of the world all bear in that direction. They are to be apprehended spiritually in their fulness in the future as seen in the world’s city, which is spiritually Sodom and Egypt. It is well for young people to bear that in mind, so that they may not be deceived by what the world’s city affords. The Lord’s supper, which is intended to appeal to our hearts, is in the midst of that city as it were. It was first instituted by the Lord in the city of Jerusalem. From the Lord’s own remarks we learn that Jerusalem embodied all the features of wickedness at that time. He was about to be crucified in it, the culmination of all wickedness was the crucifixion of the Lord of glory; and the Lord instituted His supper there, that is, it was at the wickedest time, and where the murderous spirit was. This is not to be [p. 278] confined in our thoughts to great cities, but in small cities, towns, villages and hamlets, this murderous principle enters into all. So that young people are to be warned by the terrible indictment of the Spirit of God in the Revelation, where the two witnesses of Jesus lay in that city dead for three days and a half, and the character of it is expressed in those words, “spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified” — our Lord. All this is suggested to us as we partake of the Lord’s supper and the Lord’s supper is the Supper of our Lord.
Well now that city begins with Cain and comes down through Nineveh which Nimrod built, and it is worked out today as it has never been worked out before. It is a city period in the history of men, and God by His Spirit is bring an anti-type before us. There has been a great revival in interest in regard to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, we have come to that. It is in the distance literally, but we have come to it in a spiritual sense, “the heavenly Jerusalem” Hebrews 12:22 it is called, as over against “the great city” of which I spoke. And that is the burden of what I have in mind, that we should understand that we are inhabitants of it, that we live in it. The book of Nehemiah shows that it was not much in favour even among returning Israel, the obligations of it were somewhat irksome to many of them; and so it is today.
Now Genesis, whilst affording light to us by example as to the world’s city, also introduces the city of God which He had prepared for His people, not that He had promised it, but He prepared it for them — that is the comment of Hebrews 11. “And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned; but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly”. That is the comment by the Spirit of God on the faith of that period. We may well emulate this, dear brethren, “now they seek a better [country], that is, a heavenly”, Hebrews 11:16.
The words “better” and “heavenly” are leading words in Hebrews, they are significant indeed, for a better country is a heavenly country. All the better things, are heavenly things. And so God was not ashamed to be called their God, having prepared for them a city. Genesis brings before us the heavenly side, and then we have examples which we have already noticed in Beer-sheba, the city of “the well of the oath”, suggesting that we come to the city where all these great thoughts of God are confirmed to us and realised by us. We do not attach ourselves to any nation on earth. We are all very prone to be national, but it is a deadening thing spiritually. We have to watch it. In some countries it is stronger than in others, but it is innate in all of us. Regard for ‘my own native land’ is a strong sentiment, but it is leaven. If you apply it to the earthly nation, the land they sought is a heavenly; the Scriptures are full of it, a land which the eye of God is upon from the beginning of the year to the end of it, a land of waterbrooks, hills and valleys, and vineyards and olive yards, “whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass” Deuteronomy 8:9. The wealth of the land is continually in the mind of the Spirit in Scripture, so as to allure us away from our earthly moorings, that we should be like Abraham, and get out from our country and kindred and father’s house, that we may learn to cut the links of nature, and whilst recognising all that is to be recognised according to God, we may live in the heavenly. After all, the links of nature are easily snapped and at best our years are few here. And so Beer-sheba, the well of the oath, is suggestive of the city of God, where things are confirmed to us livingly, in which we are assured of the promises of God and the purposes of God, where Jacob offered up sacrifices. He was leaving the land, under the government of God, the God of his father Isaac, that is Christ risen from the dead, but he went down to Egypt in that light, and that is our position, Christ risen and glorified, “in him [p. 280] is the yea, and in him the amen” 2 Corinthians 1:20, everything is Yea and Amen in Him.
Well now, this subject is cumulative, as you will understand, as every subject is in Scripture. You would expect it to appear in Boaz, who is one of the great ancestors of David, who as we know slew the giant, cut off his head and took it to Jerusalem. So Boaz, as Ruth has disclosed to him what is in her mind in a most seemly manner, says to her, “Bring the cloak”. This is a challenge to each of us, if we are to be in this city we are to be persons of measure. All the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be persons of measure. So here, Boaz says to Ruth “Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it”, Ruth 3:15. A garment indicates our measure. Properly speaking garments are made to measure, and her measure is detected here. Sometimes we hear of people being invited on privileged occasions to what are called conferences (although the name is hardly applicable, but we understand what is meant). One of the greatest qualifications in such persons is measure, what they can take in, and what they can give out, so that others may get the good that there may be. This is an important feature, beloved brethren, in the things of God. For we are to be, not only receiving vessels, but containing vessels to minister, vessels, with which to pour out; Exodus 37:16. In the first directions in Exodus 25:29, there were to be goblets and bowls for pouring out. There could be no pouring out without something contained in the vessels. As in John 2, the water was drawn out and it was wine, it was water turned into wine by the power of Christ. So that it is important to have measure. The epistle to the Romans, which is an initial epistle, but foundational, requires that each is to know his own measure, and to minister according to his measure of faith, God tests us as to this.
Boaz says, “Bring the cloak, that thou hast upon thee, and hold it”. That is the test put to you — indicating your measure, your size, how much you can hold.
[p. 281] The brethren will test us as to this, if we have been privileged in any way. Suppose we take Paul as an illustration, he was caught up to the third heaven on one occasion, fourteen years before he spoke of it, as far as is recorded. He says, “I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or out of the body I know not, God knows) such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man ... that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable things said which it is not allowed to man to utter”, 2 Corinthians 12:2 - 4. He kept all that, he contained the impressions so that he could speak of them fourteen years later. That is the thought, dear brethren, the brethren will test us, ask us questions; have we anything to gladden their hearts? It is a question of our measure, whether we are able to take in a little milk or some strong meat to carry back to the brethren.
Now Ruth was required to take the garment upon her and hold it. How large was it? It does not simply say that Boaz filled it up or whether it was small or large, but we are told that he measured into it six measures of barley. It was that size anyway, and she carried it away to her mother-in-law. Now that is a very important suggestion for us all at a meeting like this, it is a question of what I can take in, for myself of course, but for others. Anything I receive from the Lord is for myself, but it is also for others, it is for the assembly, it is to be shared on the principle of mutual feelings and affections. After Boaz did this he laid it on her and she was to carry it to her mother-in-law, and he went into the city. This does not refer to notes. I am not objecting to notes at all, they help the mind, but this is not a thing you carry in notes, the idea is what you bring according to your own capacity spiritually. He laid it on her, it was a burden. That is another matter of importance, christians are to be burden-bearers in love according to their measure, carrying things for ministration to others.
[p. 282] Now having said this, Boaz, it says, went into the city; chapter 3:15. He did it, not Ruth, the pronoun is masculine; that is confirmed by the context. Her going in was not a matter of much consequence, the matter is now in his hands. She carried the portion to her mother-in-law as a matter of simple love and care for a loved one. Boaz had much to do, he was taking on a great matter, and that great matter involved no less than the work of redemption typically. We have to understand, dear brethren, how the Lord Jesus took up matters. If the assembly came into His way as it did, in the love and self-sacrifice of His people for one another, as typically illustrated in Ruth, then He says, I will have that, I want that — that is the idea, and indicates what the Lord thinks of the fruit of the work of God in His people as shown in Ruth and others like her, in their self-sacrificing love for others. The Lord says, as it were, That is Myself reproduced, I must have that. But as entering into the city he is taking up typically the great work of redemption and there must be no discrepancies at all, everything must be according to the light and order and intelligence that belongs to the city, and the gate of the city, that characterises the elders of the city; it is a question of intelligence. So the work of redemption is carried out in infinite intelligence, but according to this type, as arising out of what Christ found in His people. He found the assembly, the treasure, the pearl, and He gave all for that; and what it was to Him then, it is today. The brethren sitting in this room are equally precious to Christ as the saints were then. And what is precious to Christ reflects Himself. He goes to the utmost limit of sacrifice in perfect intelligence, to secure it and keep it.
Well now, in carrying these thoughts on to Nehemiah, a day of small things, we see in chapter 11 how feebly they were appreciated. Nehemiah was a leader, as Boaz was in this matter, and he says in chapter 2 that the city was the place of his fathers’ sepulchres, that it [p. 283] was lying waste and its gates burned with fire, and it caused the deepest feelings of grief in the heart of Nehemiah. As we may remember, Nehemiah was not an official, formally set up and sent by God, his service is the outcome of his own feelings. He may be taken as a type of any christian that has felt the need and turned to God about it. Do what your hand finds to do and God is with you, that is the principle of Nehemiah. He speaks of it as the city of his fathers’ sepulchres. It is not that to us, it is “the city of the living God”, that is not a city of sepulchres, it is a city of living people. Matthew presents Jerusalem typically as turned from a city of sepulchres into a city of living people. He says “the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints fallen asleep arose, and going out of the tombs after his arising, entered into the holy city and appeared unto many”, Matthew 27:52 - 53. That is what it becomes, and so it represents the city of the living God today, the heavenly Jerusalem.
Well now in the early chapters of Nehemiah he says that the city was large, but few people were in it; chapter 7:4. Does it not appeal to our hearts? — there are only a few in Jerusalem now, I mean down here. Jerusalem above is for the moment an abstract thought in its bearing, it means the whole assembly, the assembly glorified, we have to grasp that thought. In the meantime there are but few down here, as it was in Nehemiah’s day, the city was built in great weakness under great difficulties. But nevertheless the walls were built and completed, the gates were set up, all the outcome of the faithful devotedness of one man. What an incentive for us in our time! The principle in Nehemiah is to feel things before God, then do what you can. God will make use of you. “She hath done what she could”. Mark 14:8 The woman who did that will be spoken of wherever the gospel is preached. So that Nehemiah says sorrowfully, “the city was large and great; but the people in it were few”. Nehemiah took [p. 284] on much. After the wall was built he gave his brother Hanani with Hananiah charge over Jerusalem. Hanani is commended as a faithful man, he was a man who loved. That is the kind of thing, a faithful man set over the city by his brother. The government of the city is thus provided for in faithfulness, and however few the inhabitants now, it is yet to be fully inhabited. A great thought, dear brethren, it stimulates one to think of it. Even in the days of Hezekiah, when the Assyrians came up to attack the Israelites, and asked how many riders he could put on horses, it was only a few. But however few I cannot afford to be other than an inhabitant of Jerusalem; we cannot afford to be anything less than that, but according to this book the people preferred the country. In chapter 11, verse 1, we read, “And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem; and the rest of the people cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the cities”. This is an appeal as to who will avail himself of the opportunity to dwell in Jerusalem instead of living in the country. I am not intimating, beloved brethren, that those in the suburbs round Belfast or any other city are in view here, but it may be taken as an illustration. The Lord, we are told, after He rose from the dead, went after two persons who were going away from Jerusalem. Jerusalem was indeed the wicked city that I have spoken of, but still God had not given it up — in the mind of God it was still Jerusalem, and the apostles were enjoined to stay there until they were endued with power from on high. And here were two persons moving away from it. Mark tells us they were going into the country; generally speaking living in the country is not conducive to spirituality. The city is the place of exercise, where God specially sets His testimony, however wicked the city is. It is what we see in Elisha, after all his experiences he comes to Samaria, he goes to Carmel, then to Samaria where the evil was concentrated. That is the principle, that [p. 285] is how the assembly is set here. Elders are ordained in cities, we do not read of elders ordained in the country. You will understand I am not speaking literally but in the spirit of it. God would set us where the evil is. He presents His testimony through us where the evil is, that is the principle of God’s ways today. Jerusalem in Nehemiah is the city of the Living God in principle; it was built and it was to represent the full thought of God. I apprehend the walls were built on the site of the old walls. It is a city compact together whither the tribes go up. Things are not held lightly, things are taken on by feeling men. It was never intended to have a vast straggling city, things are to be held together, that is what the walls mean. The city was large but the inhabitants, the people that dwelt in it, were few. There is an appeal to the dwellers in the country to become inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the heavenly city in the future, the inhabitants will not vie with one another in their houses and their gardens, there will be one street only in that city. I cannot say, I dwell in the west end of that city; there will only be one street there, which means the saints are all on a level, if we love one another we rejoice in that. “Let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation, and the rich in his humiliation” James 1:10, not exaltation in this world, according to the principles of it, but spiritually, the level is spiritual and nothing else. And that is what will remain eternally. It implies dignity, not socialism or communism.
Well now in Nehemiah’s time, the privileges of Jerusalem were laid hold of, so that it says in this chapter, verse 1, “the rulers of the people dwelt” there. Thank God for that! Surely they shall give a lead, for the leaders amongst the people of God are not merely marked by intelligence and strength, but feeling and affection and appreciation of divine things. Therefore these leaders are to be emulated, they dwell in Jerusalem. Then there is the principle of one in ten dwelling in Jerusalem, the other nine went out into [p. 286] other cities. It is evidently recorded here to show the state of things that existed. Are we content to be one of those nine that are willing to stay out of Jerusalem? You can do it by putting your home and family and business first. Whereas the dweller in Jerusalem puts the interests of Christ first, he is at every meeting of the saints possible, he never willingly misses one. Anna would never miss a meeting, she was day and night in the temple, she would not think lightly of staying away from a meeting. One has often pictured the saints at Jerusalem. Peter and six others went off fishing one night. If you had asked Mary Magdalene where Peter and the sons of Zebedee were that day, if she knew she would tell you regretfully, she would feel their absence. Can we afford to come under that opprobrium? To be absent, like Thomas, when such great things are happening? Anna would never be absent. She dwelt in Jerusalem, and not only was she in the temple but she spake of the Lord to all them that looked for redemption in Israel. How Jerusalem would come into her mind, how she would convey that to those to whom she spoke! It is a somewhat wholesome thing to take account of the progress of persons nominally dwelling in Jerusalem. Who are the persons at the prayer meeting? See how many of them are there. Those who are habitually absent are not really inhabitants of Jerusalem, not characteristically such.
Then it goes on to say (verse 2), “And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem”. They blessed them. You sometimes hear it said, Miss So and So is never absent, she is always at the meeting. Such persons come into peculiar blessing, they have a unique place in the affections of the saints. “If I forget thee, [p. 287] O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning”, that is, if I forget the brethren, forget the assembly. How many prefer the night school to the meetings — not that I would make little of one qualifying to earn a living, but “If I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning”, Psalm 137:5. I may become a great man in this world but of what value is that if I have forgotten Jerusalem? We cannot afford to do that, no one can afford to acquire anything at the expense of Jerusalem. So it says here, “The people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem”. I love that blessing, the people blessed them.
Now I just want briefly to say a word as to the passage in Zechariah 12. It was a day of revival as it was in Nehemiah; he and Haggai are prophets of revival, and Zechariah is occupied with that. First he says, “And the leaders of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength through Jehovah of hosts their God”. How we should realise that, how the Lord would maintain those who lead, and the saints have a portion of meat in due season. How they value the inhabitants of Jerusalem, they are supported by those persons at Jerusalem.
Then in verse 8 we are told what marked them. “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David”. See what men they become. You take the young men and women that attend the meetings, see what they become. They become as David. Do not we need such persons, who stand upon their feet in a crisis, who defend the truth, standing by the leaders? These are the persons, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, those that dwell in the city, they shall be as David, a great military warrior, without equal in the Old Testament: saints who are characteristically inhabitants of Jerusalem, shall be as David.
The Lord is appealing to us in this way, as to whether we are seeking money or position in this world at the expense of Jerusalem, the holy city, that is, the assembly in the sense in which it is available at the present time. The Lord would appeal to us so that we may be characteristically inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Pages 288 - 457 - “The Liberty of Sonship”. Notes of Meetings held in Bournemouth and London, 1935 (Volume 128).