ESTABLISHMENT
[p. 154] ESTABLISHMENT
We find in this scripture the thought of establishment. The apostle in finishing his letter, breaks out in this remarkable doxology, desiring that these Roman Christians should be established. He had said that God would bruise Satan under their feet shortly. God has not only bruised Satan under the feet of Christ, but He bruises him under the feet of the saints. This is a word of great encouragement for troubled believers, of whom, alas there are many. They are troubled because they are unestablished, and unestablished souls are exposed to the disturbing activities of Satan. “God shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly”. Romans 16: 20. Hence the apostle gives definite word to the believers in Rome as to the bruising of Satan, but then there was this further thought in the finishing of the letter that they should be established, and that God had power to establish them.
One is reminded, in referring to the subject, of the words of Agur (Proverbs 30: 1 - 4), who had learnt evidently through experience to be a very humble man. I refer to him because he introduces certain inquiries relative to this question of establishment and shows that it hinges on our knowledge of God. He says, “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?” Proverbs 30:4. The understanding of divine establishment hinges on our knowledge of God, and our knowledge of God must be according to revelation, a revelation which has brought out the great fact of God being a Father and of His having a Son. “What is his name?” he says, “and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?” Proverbs 30:4. For you things hinge on what you can tell. All has been told out from the divine side. Revelation is complete: “The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him”. John 1:18. Now it is, “if thou canst tell”. You see, christians are supposed to answer questions. Meetings such as these are most important, for in them the Holy Spirit brings to us certain features of the truth, which may be needed; but then, if questions are put to you, what can you tell? Are you going away with contentment that somebody else can tell something? What can you tell about God? He ascended, He descended, He gathers the wind in His fists. Can you tell anything about these things? The north wind strikes you in adverse circumstances; God gathers that in His fists. Some of us here know something about it. And then He binds the waters in a garment. Satan can act upon the waters but not bind them in a garment; his action is necessarily limited. God limits satanic action; He can hold the wind in His fists and bind waters in a garment. Then he says, “He establishes the ends of the earth”. Proverbs 30:4. Think of the power of God! Job made fine speeches, silenced his three adversaries, but God addressed him, calling his attention to created things. Job, silenced, put his hand upon his mouth, Job 40: 4. “The invisible things of him ... are clearly seen - . - by the things that are made”, Romans 1:20. The earth is thus referred to as representing divine establishment. God “built his sanctuary ... like the earth which he hath established for ever”, Psalm 78: 69. Thus He establishes the saints. “He that establishes us with you in Christ - .. is God”, 2 Corinthians 1: 21. The most elaborately founded empires have collapsed, but what God establishes remains. So that the question is put to us, “What is his name, and what is his son’s name?” Proverbs 30:4. I would urge then the inquiry as to how much you can tell, whether there is this knowledge [p. 156] of God in the saints which is referred to in Proverbs 30, whether we can give an answer to every one of the hope that is in us. We read in 1 John 2:27 that the unction teaches us of all things. As thus taught, we are able to answer questions. John says, “We know”, 1 John 5: 19 - 21. I urge this, because many of us are content to listen to things and enjoy things that are given out, but what can we tell? The apostle is praising God here (Romans 16: 25 - 27), but it is the God who has power to establish us according to his glad tidings; he gives us the standard in connection with which God establishes the saints. What do we know about Paul’s gospel? He speaks of “the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ”, 2 Corinthians 4: 4. Through Paul’s gospel we learn that the believer is not only justified and saved from the authority of darkness, but he is made fit for heaven; he is a son. The believer is established according to that gospel.
Then there is “the preaching of Jesus Christ”. Romans 16:25. This refers to the moral greatness of Christ. It is the Man anointed rather than the anointed Man. The former refers to the moral features of the Man as they were manifested in Him here on earth; the latter is what He is in heaven. In Paul’s preaching I see how he brought forward “the man”, the Lord as here. If I am to be established by the power of God it is according to that, according to the preaching of Jesus Christ. The third thing is the mystery; we are to be established according to this also.
You will bear with me in emphasising these things because, while one rejoices in the interest there is among the people of God, one discovers a great want of spiritual intelligence. There is thus a word for every one of us in the question, “What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?” Proverbs 30:4. And so the apostle desired that the saints should be established “according to the revelation of the [p. 157] mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God”. Romans 16:25,26. Think of being admitted into that, the secret of God! God Himself kept it securely hidden since the world began, but now I am admitted into it and I am to be established in connection with it. Think of having a part in the mystery of God!
These are wonderful things, and I speak that every one may look into the Scriptures more and read of these things for himself. The apostle says elsewhere that he combated for the saints that their hearts should be comforted and knit together in love unto the full assurance of understanding of the mystery of God in which are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; Colossians 2:1 - 3. They are all there for us, and God would have us established in connection with them. The Roman Christians obviously had not attained to these things. The apostle had not yet ministered among them, but he had it on his heart that they should be established. God had power to establish them and it should be according to his gospel, according to the preaching of Jesus Christ, and according to the mystery.
I feel encouraged to call attention to this passage in connection with what we have had, so that each saint should go away with the inquiry as to what he can tell. The apostle said to Timothy, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine”. 2 Timothy 3:10. Timothy would listen to everything Paul said; he was a learner. The apostle could entrust him with the testimony; he says, “The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also”. 2 Timothy 2:2. So that it becomes a question for everyone, What can I tell? what can I impart to others?