“TODAY, IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE”
M.P.
Judges 1: 10–15; Hebrews 4: 6–11; Revelation 3: 20–22
In these scriptures it has pleased the Spirit of God to repeat something that has already been given before, which would suggest that things that have been taken on and enjoyed by saints in a previous generation need to come up afresh in each new generation and be taken on by way of practical exercise. The passage in Judges occurs earlier in Joshua 15, and its repetition in a time of decline, as was the case in Judges, shows the need for renewed energy of faith.
As a man of spiritual energy, Caleb fought for, and took, Hebron, but it also needed an Othniel in the succeeding generation to conquer Kirjath-sepher, and also an Achsah who desired the upper and lower springs, showing a longing for spiritual things which is needed if the testimony is to continue in life. In Hebrews the quotation from Psalm 95 is repeated:
“Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts”, and then it adds, “ Let us therefore use diligence to enter into that rest”. The older generation had refused it, but now, it says, He has determined another day, called “Today”, and a fresh opportunity is offered to each one of us to enter into the rest of God.
In Revelation the call to the overcomer to receive the promises is repeated seven times, and the words, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies”. I have read the last repetition of this call because I think we are found in the last times, yet in these times His interest and love are in no way diminished. All these promises are available to any one of us who is an overcomer and is prepared to open the door and let the Lord in.
Caleb, who conquered Hebron, represents the continual, undiminished energy of faith. He was as strong at eighty-five as he was at forty. We find with him what continued, so that he and his descendants. Othniel and Achsah, would connect with John’s ministry that goes on to the end. Othniel overcame Kirjath-sepher—the city of books. Worldly literature is a very great danger for us; the devil finds many opportunities to damage the saints through the evil influence of books. There are, of course, useful books like those Timothy brought to Paul (2 Timothy 4: 13), which help us in the understanding of the Scriptures, but even these cannot replace the spiritual things we lay hold on for ourselves personally. The Ephesians burnt the books of charms, and no doubt that contributed to the saints there being able to be brought into such spiritual elevation. Like Achsah we may have acquired a south land, but without the upper and lower springs it would be a dry land, for these represent the ever-fresh and living ministry of the Spirit. The man in Psalm 1 had his roots near the brooks of water, and each one of us needs the Spirit’s power to help us lay hold of the great things of God for ourselves.
I would encourage the brethren, and particularly our younger brethren, to read Hebrews where the great promises of God are set out and where thoughts are presented which are most encouraging for us in these last times, for that “rest” still remains for us. Our younger brethren would do well to pay attention to what has been said by the older ones. Rehoboam’s downfall was due to his not following the counsel of the elders (1 Kings 12), who were probably those of whom the queen of Sheba said, “Happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, who hear thy wisdom!”, 1 Kings 10: 8. As Achsah came to Caleb she leapt off the ass, for we must stand on our own feet. Mr. Coates wrote somewhere that the good teaching is like a signpost, it shows the right way, but we must reach the goal on our own feet. Achsah is a fine example of this youthful energy, standing on her own feet and having a desire for springs of water. We need both the upper and the lower springs, the Spirit coming here from above, and the Spirit in the saints down here.
In Revelation there are the seven spirits before the throne and the seven assemblies, suggesting that each locality can reckon on the fulness of the Spirit. There is a similar thought in Galatians 4, where the Spirit in us cries, “Abba, Father”, while in Romans 8 we find that we by the Spirit cry, “Abba, Father”. There is the wonderful unity of the Spirit and the assembly, for the Spirit and the bride as together say, “Come”. The Ephesian epistle presents the saints in the light of the purpose of God-like the upper springs—while in Philippians we have the same glory but in testimony down here, more like the lower springs. We must always have recourse to the well. It was Rebecca’s daily occupation. Moses, who in fleshly strength slew the Egyptian, is found later sitting by the well, as though waiting on the Spirit of God. On our part, therefore, we must have an open ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies. To find the spiritual rest is, I think, connected with what the Lord says in Matthew 11, “Come to me … and ye shall find rest to your souls”. It is something we can enjoy at the present time; the wonderful Person of the Lord Jesus attracts us and the longing soul finds satisfaction in His presence. Mr. Darby’s hymn says—
‘The heart is satisfied, can ask no more;
All thought of self is now for ever o’er!
Christ, its unmingled Object, fills the heart
In blest adoring love—its endless part’. (Hymn 247)
The Lord said to the Samaritan woman in John 4, “Whosoever drinks of the water which I shall give him shall never thirst for ever”. Mary is a fine example of one who enjoyed that rest; the Lord says, “Mary has chosen the good part, the which shall not be taken from her”, Luke 10: 42. She is mentioned three times in Scripture, but each time she is at the feet of Jesus.
To Laodicea the Lord says, “Behold I stand at the door and am knocking”, and this connects with the thought of “Today, if ye will hear his voice”. He is standing outside, but it is open to any one of us in a personal and individual way to open our heart to Him. There is a three-fold call—whoever opens, whoever overcomes, and whoever has an ear to hear. The Lord is prepared to come in and eat of our supper, that is, to share in our interests, but He calls us to share in His interests—“and he with me”. Mr. Stoney remarked that some may say, ‘I do not need to go to the meeting; I can have the Lord with me at home’—those are your circumstances; but in the assembly you are in His circumstances which is something much greater and better. It is really a question of the affections. The apostle Paul says, “knowledge puffs up” (which was Laodicea) “but love edifies”. We need to know something of the unleavened bread that would keep us humble and help us as to true devotion of heart.
Substance of a reading in the D.D.R. (from the original full text in ‘ Neues und Altes’)
23 July 1983