CHRIST A SON AND GREAT PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD
[p. 395] CHRIST A SON AND GREAT PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD
Hebrews 3:3-6; Hebrews 3:21,22
I wish to show, with the Lord’s help, His relation to the house of God as Son over it, and then His relation to it as Priest. He must be apprehended in these two relations, in order that we may be intelligently in the house. He has given us intelligence, and He has also given us a faculty that we may become intelligent. He has given us an understanding. We possess an understanding given to us by the Son of God.
I should like to dwell on a few points presented by John in his gospel, in regard to Christ. He was with God. The Spirit of God says He was with God in the beginning. He was with God before the incarnation. Before anything was made He was with God. And He was also with God when things were made. Subsequently the apostle says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only begotten with a Father), full of grace and truth”, John 1: 14. No one is for God in the house unless he is with God. To illustrate this I would refer to Moses. Moses went up into the mount to be with God. Aaron was left with the people. If we are simply with the people we shall err. Moses was with God and he was sustained of God.
Moses saw a pattern of the house of God; He saw a figurative representation of it, and he was with God in what he saw. As he was coming down, he had a beautiful thought about the Sabbath in his heart. The people were to observe it, because on that day God rested, and was refreshed. Moses had in his heart the wonderful light that God had given him with regard to Christ. Coming down from [p. 396] being with God he acts for God. If you are to act for God, you must act as having been with God. If you are only occupied with the people you will err. On the mount of transfiguration, Jesus is contemplated as an only One with the Father. Moses, on coming to the camp, finds an idolatrous state of things, because Aaron was with the people and not with God, and he knows what to do. If there is anything that tests a Christian as to whether he is with God, it is discipline in the house of God. In order to act for God and like God, we must be with God. We need to have a true estimate of things, as before God, if we are to act according to Him in His house. We must know Him that is true. This will keep us from partiality. Secondly, we must see that we are in Him that is true. John looks at things in the abstract. We must dismiss things pertaining to the flesh, and regard ourselves in the light of God’s work in us. This is a great leverage in the soul of the believer, and helps him as to his place in the house of God. The One that is true, in whom I am, is God’s Son Jesus Christ. It is not “Christ Jesus” here. It is the order of Man. That came out in testimony to God here. I am in that Man. He is the Son of God, and He is Jesus Christ. Objectively, He is the true God and eternal life to my soul. I apprehend Him thus, through the understanding which He gives. Thus I am enabled to appreciate His position as Son over the house of God.
In Revelation 1, we see the Lord in the dignity of a judge. John hears a voice behind him, and he turns to see the voice. John is evidently occupied with Christian privilege on the Lord’s day, being in the Spirit; but he turns to see the voice, and he sees the Son of man clothed in judicial robes. These had reference to the change that had come about in that which once had the dignity and privilege of being the house of God. He says in all His addresses to the assemblies, “I know”. Those who have authority in the government of this world know so little! He knows the conditions among the people of God. This is solemn to the conscience, that there is nothing hidden from Him. But it is encouraging to the heart, for He says, “know thy works”. He takes account of everything there was for Himself in each assembly. But He also says, “I have somewhat against thee”. In speaking to Thyatira He is the “Son of God”, referring doubtless to His authority in the house, and His eyes are as a flame of fire, jealous eyes. Any movement towards idolatry is discerned and dealt with. But He does not execute His wrath till there is a fair trial. God will give every opportunity to disprove the imputation. We must act in this way towards each other. The Lord says, “I gave her (Jezebel) space to repent”. But then, being in the house in the capacity of a Son, He is free in it as having built it. How interesting to think of Him building up the structure piece by piece! “He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house”. He is greater than the house in the measure that one who builds is greater than what he builds. Moses was over the house as a servant. Christ is not over the house as a servant. He is over it as Son. The house is thus in the liberty of sonship. He would instruct us as to all this, having given us this “understanding”.
We often hear it asked, what is the house, of what does it consist? In Hebrews 3: 6, we get the idea of the house; a company of men and women who “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end”. We are given the characteristics of the house, so that we may locate it. Of course. What is said is founded on the fact that those addressed were believers, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Christ is over the house as having built it and He is over it on behalf of God; that is, as Son [p. 398] He is over the house from the divine side. This is seen in Hebrews 3. In chapter 10 we get the idea of the Great Priest. The Great Priest is on our side. This should encourage our hearts. In the Great Priest we have sympathy. We need priestly sympathy. The sympathy of Christ in the house in some respects comes out through the saints; it is also to be known and enjoyed directly by each of us. One cannot help another according to God, unless one is a priest. I must never forget that I am a priest. A priest can take up things and deal with them according to God.
Aaron wore a beautiful breastplate of judgment. Only a priest can judge according to God. Judgment is an attribute of love. In the breastplate there were the Urim and the Thummim; Lights and Perfections. There is all the authority of God and all the light of God, but there is also all the sympathy and love of the Priest, divine love in man in perfection. Divine love never fails. If I have the light on one hand, I have the love and sympathy on the other. Love does not behave itself in an unseemly manner. Love does not think evil. It does not impute evil. Love is the greatest of all, it is perfection. All this is seen perfectly in the Great Priest. He brings in all the light, and at the same time there is perfection, love. There is sympathy. In the Great Priest we are assured of support and sympathy in drawing near to God.
This is what we find in the house, according to chapter 10. The Great Priest is over the house of God, therefore let us draw near. We get here all the furnishings for drawing near to God, and then we are exhorted to do so. Thus chapter 10 sets before us what Christ is over the house, as on our side chapter 3, what He is toward us from God’s side. May we understand both!
Pages 399 - 484 - “The House of God”, Rochester, U.S.A. , 1919 (Volume 44).