COMPANYING WITH CHRIST

T. E. Druckenmiller

1 Kings 8: 6–8; John 1: 38, 39

I would just like to say a further word, beloved brethren, thinking of the two words we have already had, and thinking too of what we have had over the weekend as to the house and the preciousness of the assembly, and the features that are to mark it as set out in the types. But we are

tested in our time as to the answer to the truth, and the working out in reality of what the Lord has Himself set on.

One is impressed with this word in Kings, and thankful to a brother mentioning in my home on Lord’s day that it was the high priest alone that went into the most holy place. We were speaking about that during the three days. Who goes into the holiest? I believe there is a great need for us, beloved brethren, to go in. If we are to be kept from idols and if we are to speak on behalf of God, we must go in. That is the impression that has come to one tonight. We must go in. I believe our brother has just touched on it too. It is the priest who goes in that can come out and go to the people. It is impressive what is recorded here—“The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to its place”. Now that is Christ brought in to His place. The Lord Jesus is to have this place, beloved brethren, among us. It is “into the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim”. There is much in this that I believe we could well enquire into. We need to devote ourselves to the spirit of enquiry to get understanding, so that we grow increasingly in the appreciation of what God would have us to be in the enjoyment of at the present time, the close of the dispensation.

There is another touch here, that is, the ark is carried in and its staves are spoken of. The staves were for carrying the ark. It says they were long, “so that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place before the oracle, but they were not seen without. And there they are to this day”. The note reads, ‘and they drew out the staves’. It is a suggestion of finality.

There is something about these touches that I am not able to say much about and I would like to

turn to John, because in our dispensation the ark is Christ as here in testimony, but then He is also in the most holy place.

We had a touch at the Supper here on the Lord’s day, reference being made to this verse,

“Come and see”. It is the Lord’s own appeal. It says, “They went therefore, and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day”. I believe that is the present dispensation. One feels that it has a bearing on this whole dispensation. “They abode with him that day”. Now is it the desire of my heart to see where Christ abides? Is it the desire of my heart to be with Him and to abide with Him “that day”? If we are to be kept from idols, beloved, the words of one writer came to one’s mind as our brother was speaking, ‘What have I to do with idols, who have companied with Him?’ That is what is needed among us, beloved brethren, to company with Christ. That will give us the power. One says it feelingly because I know within me the things that tempt us, the pressures the enemy would bring in at the most opportune moments to suit his designs. What we need increasingly is to company with Jesus so that we are preserved from idols. John, the writer of the gospel, as he closes his first epistle says,

“Children, keep yourselves from idols”. It means that I need to walk protectively. I need to walk carefully. I need divine protection all the time. What a preservative it is all the time to be in the company of Jesus. Let us seek His presence more and know what it is, as these beloved disciples had the enjoyment of abiding with Him that day. But then you think of how they came out from His presence. They came out testimonially. Andrew was one of them.

What did he do? “He first finds his own brother Simon”, and “he led him to Jesus”. This is the need at the close of this great dispensation, it is to be in the company of

Jesus and come out in the manifestation of His Person in view of leading persons to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Word in meeting for ministry, Plainfield
29 May 1984