BRETHREN, TRUE AND FALSE
[p. 74] BRETHREN, TRUE AND FALSE
Malachi 1: 1 - 5; Malachi 3:10 - 12; Malachi 3:16 - 18; Malachi 4:2 - 6
JT This prophet has the character of the addresses to the assemblies in Revelation, and has a voice as coming in at the end of the last recorded appeal to Israel, as recognised of God in the Old Testament. I thought it would serve to furnish a word for us today, first, in regard to the idea of brethren. The ministry of the book is resultful, in that we have alluded to certain who “feared Jehovah” and “spoke often one to another”. Those who feared the Lord are referred to in other prophets, but in none of them have we this touching characteristic, that they “spoke often one to another”, meaning that the idea of brethren had a place with them. So we may perhaps be free to consider this subject of brethren as seen here in Jacob and Esau. They represent the brethren on the one hand in Jacob, as those whom God regards and loves, and on the other hand in Esau, as the false brethren. God said that He hated Esau and loved Jacob.
There is much in the book about love; it ought to have a great place with us. God calls attention to His love, the extent of it: “I have loved you, saith Jehovah” (chapter 1: 2), that ought to appeal to the brethren. The lovableness of the saints as indicated in Jacob is a matter of great interest; and the unlovableness of those who pretend to be brethren is of sorrowful interest but is also necessary to consider.
Ques Have you in mind the mutuality of converse amongst brethren?
JT Yes, that was what I thought. We are not told what they said here, but we are told that they conversed often one with another; it is a mutual state of [p. 75] things.
WS What was there in Jacob so that God could say, “I loved Jacob”?
JT That is a most interesting enquiry, it takes us back to Genesis 25 where it is said that Isaac loved Esau because he partook of his venison. Esau was an object of love on natural grounds, and for natural reasons; whereas it is said of Rebecca that she loved Jacob; that is, there was, at the outset of Jacob’s history, one who was in accord with the mind of God. It does not say at the beginning that God loved Jacob and hated Esau; it was when the characteristics of both became manifested, but we get the root of the matter in Genesis 25. Although Jacob was naturally a more undesirable, unlovable man than his brother, it is not a question merely of nature, but of what is of God, and what is of the flesh. What was of God came to light early in Jacob: he was a supplanter. He began early to show his disapproval of the natural in his brother. He was a plain man dwelling in tents, whereas Esau was a man of the field.
HES Are you suggesting that in principle Jacob valued what was spiritual? In regard to Esau, what was natural came to light, whereas with Jacob what was spiritual came to light; he was appreciative of what was of God.
JT Yes. We should all take notice of what marked Esau, which worked out later in such a way that God has to say He hated him. He is marked as a man of the field; it would be well if the young people would particularly notice this, for he would go in for what marks the field, sports and the gun and so forth. He was occupied with the natural tastes of Isaac, whereas Jacob was a plain man dwelling in tents, he had a pilgrim character. His mother, who had communications from God about both of them, was affected by these communications, and she loved Jacob, and went so far as to be ready to be a curse for him. So we have at that early date, the idea of [p. 76] what God loves in the brethren. They value what is of Him, and retain simplicity in their dwelling and occupations, while valuing what is of God. Jacob valued the birthright, and he secured it. Esau went in for royalty and earthly glory at once, whereas Jacob says, “I wait for thy salvation, O Jehovah”. Instead of going in for things in natural energy, he waits for God. These are the general traits of Jacob; there was much otherwise, but God takes account of what was of Himself in Jacob, and how it worked out down the ages in the brotherly spirit; whereas Esau was increasingly unbrotherly. Although he affected to be reconciled to Jacob, yet he was always ready to take advantage of an opportunity to attack his brother, although God gave him every occasion to manifest the spirit of a brother; yet down the ages he got worse and worse. The Spirit of God writes largely about the conduct and spirit of Edom before God says anything as to His hatred of him. We have the whole book of Obadiah calling attention to Esau, and it is well to have this in mind, because today we are in the presence of the same spirit. Paul speaks of “false brethren”, not our brethren around who are not walking with us, but that there is a spirit abroad like that of Esau. God is calling attention to it, and says He hates it; but He also reminds us of what He loves, so that lovable features should be with us. That is what the book of Malachi would point out. Although we may not have the spirit of Edom, yet there is great carelessness in the way we take up divine things; the trend of the book shows their carelessness as to God and His rights.
Ques Does the spirit of a brother come out in what the Lord said to Philadelphia in Revelation 3?
JT The word ‘Philadelphia’ means brotherly love and so comes in very appropriately here; there is nothing there of the traits we find in this book, nothing is said of carelessness as to the rights of God, in the [p. 77] address to Philadelphia. God begins in Malachi 1 with His own love, as if He deserved better service. He says, “If Edom say, We are broken down, but we will build again the ruined places,-thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They shall build, but I will throw down; and men shall call them the territory of wickedness, and the people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever. And your eyes shall see it, and ye shall say, Jehovah is magnified beyond the border of Israel”. God calls attention to His steady opposition to the spirit of the false brother; they say they will build, but God is against them.
HES Have we to especially notice the strong expression God uses in regard to Esau, “I hated Esau”?
JT It is a very strong expression, you would not use it against any persons now. It is a question of the spirit that marked Edom down the ages. For instance, when Israel was about to enter Canaan, he addressed Esau very courteously and respectfully, asking the privilege of going through his territory on the highway, but Esau would not allow it, he was unreasonable, and Israel had to go round. God did not like that; He does not like unreasonableness among the brethren. The point is, what is this Edom feature? It is unreasonableness, and it may be found in any of us today, causing our brethren to go round, affording them inconvenience, when there is no ground for it. It was not going to cost Edom anything; Israel was going to pay for all that they used.
Ques What would be the difference between them and Laodicea?
JT The Laodiceans were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing, they were neither cold nor hot.
We find in Esau’s later history, that he had hatred to his brother Jacob, and became more and more resentful of his brother. When we come to the [p. 78] prophets we find that one and another call attention to the unreasoning hatred of Edom.
Ques Would you say this feature culminated in Herod when he slew John the baptist, the most precious thing in his kingdom?
JT Yes, he was an Edomite. He represented the Edomite in the times of John the baptist, and of Christ, and in the time of the apostles, so that though he had the most lovable persons to deal with, yet he treated them murderously. It culminated in the fact that the One to whom heaven opened, and to whom the voice came, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight”, became the object of Herod’s bitterest opposition and hatred. That is the history of Edom. In the Old Testament his history is prolonged and extended and called attention to on every side, to impress upon us what God thinks of the unbrotherly spirit, so that we may judge our hearts of everything that is unbrotherly.
Ques Was Judas a false brother?
JT No one had a greater opportunity of proving real brotherly feeling than Judas. He had the place of friendship with Christ, “Mine own familiar friend”, the Lord calls him (Psalm 41: 9), but in spite of that he was the traitor. There is nothing arbitrary in God saying He hated Esau: it is slow in coming to light and extended over a long period, which proves that God gave him the fullest opportunity to show the brotherly spirit; but Esau disliked Israel, and would not let him pass his territory, so Israel turned away. The brotherly spirit was there, but Esau did not reciprocate it.
COB Is it a question of election?
JT That is the accumulation of divine sovereignty alluded to in Romans 9. There it is a question of election. God’s choice proves to be right, a very comforting consideration. You say, I know that in result God will bring me round to His thought; but [p. 79] the point is that I should be proving God’s choice now, that it is acceptable to me, that there is no mistake. Hence we have, that “the elect ... may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus”; all proves that the choice is right, that God made no mistake. It is very humbling if we do not answer now to the election of God.
Ques Is it right to discern between the natural and spiritual brother?
JT That is what this book does-it discerns between a brother marked by appreciation for what is of God and by lovableness, and a brother who is governed by natural propensities, which Esau represents. God has given us an extended public history of Edom, and He finishes up with this terrible word, “I hated Esau”! It is not arbitrary, because he was hateful, whereas Jacob was lovable and God loved him. It is a question of lovableness in the true brethren, and hatefulness in the false brethren.
Ques We are dependent on the work of God entirely to be delivered from the Esau features, and formed in the Jacob features?
JT Yes, that is the point. The Lord takes the matter up in Matthew; He takes it up immediately on the mount, and says, “If therefore thou shouldest offer thy gift at the altar, and there shouldest remember that thy brother has something against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go, be reconciled to thy brother”, Matthew 5: 23, 24. The Lord takes up the subject immediately, showing how Matthew links on with the Old Testament. It is a question of giving a brother every opportunity if he has something against you; you are to try your utmost to secure him: “Be reconciled to thy brother”.
Ques The Lord would not have a single exercise or question left between brother and brother?
JT That is so. The question between Esau and Jacob remained for twenty years. Jacob had incurred Esau’s hostility and it was a hard matter to settle it. It was settled externally as far as Esau was concerned, but it cost Jacob a great deal of thought, sorrow, and anxiety, before he was able to secure his brother; he had to wrestle with God. Jacob agonised in view of meeting Esau, but God answered him, and Esau was met and reconciled. I do not say he was really affected; but God allowed the thing to take place as a type of how the brethren may be secured, and thus Matthew 5 may be carried out.
Ques Is it like 1 Corinthians 13? If love is lacking I am nothing; I may have other things but love is the great thing.
JT Yes, it is a question of love. The book of Malachi begins with that, God is calling our attention to the fact, “I have loved you”. The sense of this had waned in Corinth. Paul speaks much of the love of God: “The Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me”, Galatians 2: 20. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son a propitiation for our sins”, 1 John 4: 10. That is testified to in Corinth; the new covenant is brought in there, too, but there was no outward response; they had not love amongst themselves; there were parties among them. Therefore 1 Corinthians 13 is a very important scripture. The apostle has to speak of love in the abstract, he cannot say it characterised them.
Ques Was Judas Iscariote a false brother?
JT Yes, he was. When he went out the Lord enjoined love among the brethren, “By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves”, John 13:35. Love among ourselves, is love among the brethren. “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren”. Two things were to mark them: they were born of God, and had the spirit of love; there is nothing else like that in heaven or earth and it [p. 81] marks the brethren of the present dispensation. The Lord said of the remnant of Israel, “In them is all my delight”, Psalm 16: 3. The idea is that they were delightful, they were companionable spiritually; that is what Malachi leads us on to: “They ... spoke often one to another”; their converse was so delightful that heaven took account of it.
Ques Did the undercurrent of hatred run through Esau’s life?
JT It soon began to show itself; he professed to be reconciled, he took that ground, according to Genesis 38, but as Israel began to move spiritually towards the land, his enmity was aroused. The spiritual movements in the true brethren are sure to draw out the Edomite character in the false brethren. As soon as Jacob moved towards the land, Esau showed his disposition, he would not allow Jacob to cross his country, a most unreasonable rebuff from a brother. From that day onwards God enjoins Israel not to interfere with Edom; He said, “I have given mount Seir as a possession unto Esau” (Deuteronomy 2: 5), and you are not to interfere with that. Yet as Jacob moved on into the land, Esau’s especial opposition began to show itself, and from that day he showed nothing but opposition against Israel.
The two lines may be understood in the two blessings; it says, “Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau”. It may be enquired, Why was Esau blessed, if he was a false brother? There are thousands of brethren who have been blessed; everyone in christendom is blessed in a sense. We are in a favourable land. It says of Edom, when Isaac is blessing Esau, “Thy dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth”; that is profession. With Jacob it is what was given to him, the blessing of Jacob is on the principle of gift. The blessing of Esau lies more in outward facts; he was to dwell on the fatness of the earth, but he would be ruled over by his brother, though in time he would [p. 82] rove about, and break his yoke from off his neck; that is what the false brother does. We are enjoined to be subject to one another, but what Esau did is the history of false brethren throughout; they roam about and throw off the yoke.
Ques Are the sons of God affected by this?
JT I think all that is in this book as marking Israel is simply the Edomite character, showing how the features of Edom may be found amongst those who are true brethren.
Ques Is it the same principle that is found in the world, the spirit of violence and corruption as found with Edom in the Old and New Testament?
JT Quite so. Violence and corruption is what Edom has fully expressed.
In regard to the remaining features of this book, the Spirit of God calls attention to the gross negligence, you might say profanity, in the way the things of God were dealt with in Israel; but in spite of this God calls attention to His love for them and His preference for them. There is the love of preference as well as the love of sovereignty. God preferred Jacob, and He regards this little remnant at the end of the Old Testament as worthy, He treats them with the greatest respect, and not merely the remnant but the nation itself, although they were marked by the grossest disregard of the rights of God in their service to Him. Chapters 2 and 3 deal with that, the priests especially being taken up in chapter 2. In the presence of that God says, “From the rising of the sun even unto its setting my name shall be great among the nations; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure oblation: for my name shall be great among the nations, saith Jehovah of hosts”. That is very comforting, God will have His rights answered to, and it is our privilege now to answer to them.
[p. 83] Ques What had you in mind in referring to the majesty of God as a correction?
JT It says at the end of chapter 1, “I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is terrible among the nations”. God would remind us that He would be increasingly great in the eyes of some of His people. Is He great in our eyes?
Ques Would the fear of the Lord be a recognition of His majesty?
JT Exactly. The fear of the Lord is the recognition of His majesty; He is a great King. It is time that we should begin to think about that. Paul says, “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”, 1 Corinthians 10: 22.
HES Do we have the same thought as in Corinthians, whatever they were, God is faithful?
JT That is right. You find it all through the two letters: “God is faithful, by whom ye have been called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord”; we can rely on that. “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able to bear”. “God is faithful”.
Chapter 2 takes up the priests and brings out what they are, and what they were at the time the prophecy was written; it is distressing. God had made a covenant with Levi of life and peace. The priest’s lips should keep knowledge; the priests normally should provide for the rights of God, and look after what is due to Him.
Y Is the fear of the Lord what constitutes the fellowship?
JT It has that in view. As we get in 1 Corinthians, we come into the fellowship and we have to do with the Lord and with the brethren too. The fellowship implies that we have to do with the brethren; we are obligated to the brethren. In dealing with the subject the apostle runs on to the thought of the Lord; we cannot escape the eye of the Lord, we are not [p. 84] stronger than He. The fear of the Lord is an important matter in the fellowship, if my conduct is not in keeping with the fellowship. The priesthood in chapter 2 is to secure the rights of God; the priest’s lips should keep knowledge; the Lord is holding them, it is a question of the mouth. The priestly element is what should have to say to the carelessness, negligence and disrespect to be found among us. This book of Malachi is so comprehensive, showing such respect on the part of God for His people; He brings in the creation as a testimony. He goes back to Genesis as to brotherly love in chapter 2: 10, “Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal unfaithfully every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?”. It is striking that the compiler of the prophecy has unfolded the respect on God’s part for His people; they are clothed with these great creatorial and covenant thoughts, thoughts of love. In the last chapter we get what God commanded from Israel in the mount. God clothes us with these thoughts to encourage us to answer to His mind.
Ques If we see how God respects His people it would make us respect them?
JT Yes, indeed, and have respect for Him too. The two things run together-reverence for God, and respect for His people.
Ques Should “Sanctify the Lord the Christ in your hearts” govern our relations together?
JT Quite so. We have often said you can never love a person if you do not respect him. God showed that His love for Israel required respect; He accorded full respect to them as His people, although they were only a handful of the original. He did not regard them as babes, He brought in His great thoughts from creation down, even as to marriage in chapter 2, “Jehovah hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt [p. 85] unfaithfully: yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not one make them? and the remnant of the Spirit was his”. It is the original institution, and God brings all His great thoughts to bear upon it, and clothes us with ability to take them in, and answer to them. Why not? We have the Holy Spirit; God would bring us into full manhood to answer to His great thoughts. That is what He has in mind, all His great thoughts are to find response among us, to be received and carried out among us.
COB So we should learn to discern between the two lines?
JT Quite so. We are reminded in chapter 3 that God makes provision for any overture. He sends a messenger, “Behold I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me”. God constantly prepares His way among us in the way of ministry; and then He says, “The Lord whom ye seek will suddenly come to his temple, and the Angel of the covenant, ... ; behold, he cometh”. That is solemn; things would happen suddenly after warning. God says in chapter 3, If I am dealing in a disciplinary way with you, “Ye are cursed with a curse” (verse g). Why is this? Because “Me ye rob, even this whole nation. Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house”. That is, God would have a people that were not half-and-half people, He would have people who were whole measure people. “Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it” (verse 10). I do not know anything of more interest than this; it is a question of what I bring into the house, whether I am a half measure or a whole measure person. The first man in Scripture who offered, after the flood, was an unselfish man: he offered of every clean beast and fowl; he did not reserve a thing; he [p. 86] was an unselfish man. The poverty in the meetings is because of the want of the whole tithe.
HES Are you speaking of what is material in relation to the tithe, or of what is spiritual, or both?
JT Both, it is a question of love. Love may find occasion to express itself in a great variety of ways. It is a question of love, after all; that is what God thinks about, and it is behind all I do.
HES Is that why in Corinthians Paul finishes by a collection for the saints?
JT See how much he makes of the material side, but only because it is the occasion of expressing love. We were speaking this morning about the widow who gave all her living, and also about Paul’s saying he would most gladly spend and be spent for the brethren. One might spend a fortune on a brother and never spend oneself, because after all it is not what I spend, but what I leave. If I have abundance left, I have not spent myself, there is no expenditure of self in that. The apostle says, “I shall most gladly spend and be utterly spent”. To spend myself, that is the great thing. After all it is the person God wants; my means may be the opportunity of expressing love, but I must be spent myself.
Ques Is that why it says that the Lord loved the church and gave Himself for it?
JT Exactly. The thing is to bring the whole tithe. I must get in my mind what God wants; He will take anything, He took the tenth Jacob offered.
Rem Paul says, I have heard of your faith and love.
JT Quite so. Love is the thing.
Ques Was that seen in Psalm 133, the anointing of Aaron and that God there commands the blessing?
JT Exactly. The blessing is secured by what we do. Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food there. That is a good reason, but the point is the thing should be there; God can add to that, but the idea is that you are doing it, a [p. 87] very fine thing; it is your opportunity, but as we move, God moves; God adds to it.
You will find in the Acts how the thing progresses; the crowd of names in Acts 1 means distinction, that is equal to wealth, then the Holy Spirit coming, added three thousand to that. Then when Peter and John go into the temple there was something to look at, “Look on us”. Next Barnabas comes in; he lays what he has at the apostles’ feet, so it increases after that. At Antioch a large crowd were added to the Lord through Barnabas’s preaching (chapter 11). Then chapter 13 brings out what was there, the assembly was much the richer spiritually for the five remarkable brethren mentioned in verse 1. I believe there would be greater gift among us were this principle of giving followed out on the part of the brethren, the full tithe.
Ques Peter said, “Silver and gold I have not; but what I have, this give I to thee”, is that the thought?
JT Quite so. It shows there was something there.
HES In a summarised way in this book of Malachi, do we get love in result, and hatred in result?
JT Yes, that is how it works out in the whole tithe being brought to God’s house, “Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts”. God has it in mind to enrich and beautify us, so that the whole tithe will be brought in. God will be so delighted with the love shown in this way that all this will ensue.
Ques “Present your bodies a living sacrifice”; would that be the whole tithe?
JT Yes, everyone has his body, that is more than money. Paul said, “I shall most gladly spend”, that may be my money, “and be utterly spent”, that is myself.
Rem The widow in the gospel did not contribute much in money but infinitely much in intrinsic [p. 88] worth.
JT That is how the Lord regarded it; He looked up and saw her. Malachi 3: 16 brings out great results for God in persons who feared Him. Others feared Him before, but we do not get this beautiful touch, “They that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed it, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, saith Jehovah of hosts, in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him” (verses 16, 17). Israel is spared as a man spareth his son, God speaks of their preciousness to Him in the day He has prepared; they will be a peculiar treasure to Him. In God’s great preparation day, His grand display, Israel will have a peculiar place as His treasure.
COB Do you get God’s respect for Israel in chapter 4?
JT Yes. We see how God regards them; what He commanded for all Israel ought to be remembered. The last verse of chapter 3 should be especially noticed, “And ye shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not”. I think that is one of the greatest needs, for those who return to discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.
FW Is that how we are to discern our brother?
JT I think that is the way. A true brother is one who serves God, and he is not only a brother, but he is a son too, a son serves.
This last verse of chapter 3 is a moral thing; we are able to discern those who serve God. Many of our brethren are affiliated with a service little better than judaism, and in some instances even paganism; they cannot serve God in these circumstances. “Come [p. 89] out from the midst of them, and be separated”. Service can only be carried out on God’s terms.
FW It needs spirituality to be moving on these lines?
JT That is what it culminates in in the closing verses of chapter 3; we reach a moral basis, arrived at by discerning those who serve God and those who do not.
The Edomite may be found among true brethren; we have to watch against it. The allusion to the son that serveth Him is very touching. He spares him “as a man spareth his own son that serveth him”. The service of the son is very striking coming in here, and the ability to discern one who serves God, and one who does not.
In the next chapter we get a beautiful encouragement and announcement, “And unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and leap like fatted calves”. That is future; it is the hope we have and in which we are to abound. In New Testament language we are to “abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”. “Unto you that fear my name”, that is a certain class of people, all who are looking for Him. Many take up the thought of the Lord’s coming without corresponding to it, but here it links up the thought with fearing His name.
Ques Why are Moses and Elias brought in at the end?
JT Moses represents the rights of God: “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel”. Elijah represents recovery, a remarkable thing at the end of the dispensation; “He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers”; it is a household matter. The great servant Elijah is here linking up households, bringing parents and children into right relations with [p. 90] one another, and surely according to God in a spiritual way.
Rem Paul says, in Acts 20, “Take heed therefore to yourselves”, and calls attention to his hands.
JT Yes. In the second part of the chapter which records that memorable night when Eutychus was restored and they were comforted, Paul says, “Take heed to yourselves”. He would say, You are to see that this mutual state of things continues, you are to watch yourselves so that mutual conditions can go on. “These hands ministered to my wants”.
Whose hands? Paul’s hands.
Ques Are the results seen in the next chapter of the Acts?
JT Yes. They went down with their wives and children.