READINGS AND ADDRESSES AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1924 - READING (4)
READINGS AND ADDRESSES AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1924 - [p. 249] READING (4)
Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2 and Nehemiah 3
JT It has already been remarked that a leading distinction between Ezra and Nehemiah is that the former is the setting forth of the sovereign work of God, and the latter faithfulness in man. It will be observed that the book begins: “The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah”. It begins with Nehemiah, and then it says in chapter 2:10, “When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel”. Personal faithfulness in Nehemiah is emphasised, and then the faithfulness of others, and I think that it accords with the thought of prophetic service. The first feature of prophetic service is that God sent the prophets; He arose early to send them, showing His interest in His people, His unfailing love. The prophets being in accord with Him, there was set out in them a sort of subjective testimony in the midst of the general departure. You see it particularly in the four major or leading prophets whose writings are preserved, besides the others. Isaiah had to walk barefoot. Ezekiel was required to lie on his side three hundred and ninety days to bear the iniquity of Israel, and forty days to bear the iniquity of Judah. So, under the eve of God, there was a testimony by this prophet to the sin of the whole nation, to the whole course of the iniquity of the nation from its beginning. He was to bear the iniquity of Israel for three hundred and ninety days, and Judah forty days, that is, a day for a year, so that all of the nation is represented by him there. He is a type of the Lord, who bore the guilt of the nation from the outset. In Stephen’s address [p. 250] we see how the Holy Spirit took account of sin from the outset. I think that Nehemiah comes in on that line as accepting the sin of the nation before God.
WB-s This is also seen in Daniel.
JT The account of things comes to Nehemiah: “Hanani, one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem”. This testimony comes to him through one of his brethren. The facts are presented from the side of man’s faithfulness.
RSS It is interesting and perhaps helpful to know that the facts recorded in the scriptures read this morning, according to the dates given in our Bible, were ninety years later than what we had been considering yesterday, so that things had declined a good deal after the spiritual energy seen in Ezra.
JT That is, the early part of Ezra. In the seventh chapter we are told that Ezra went up to Jerusalem, which was only about thirteen years before Nehemiah.
BTF Would you say that both Ezra and Nehemiah not only were faithful in the work they were engaged in, but as men of God they stand for the encouragement of the people of God at the present day in their personal pathway?
JT “Ezra” means “help”, I think, and “Nehemiah” is “comfort of Jehovah”, so that their ministry would be on the line of help and comfort.
BTF Would you say a word about Nehemiah weeping, not only before God, but in the presence of the king?
JT He shows in his weeping how deeply he felt things. Today, what the circumstances require is what the Lord calls for: “Who then is the faithful and prudent steward?” Luke 12:42. You cannot but feel things as you look around on the people of God as they are. Even in taking account of what was recovered and [p. 251] the history of things since the recovery, we cannot but feel things. That is what God takes account of — right feelings about things. You cannot be light hearted in the presence of the history of things since the recovery.
AFM Do you think that these are the days of the “wall”? How would you bring it down to the present time, where faithfulness is required?
JT When Nehemiah arrives at Jerusalem he says, “I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; but I told no man what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem, and there was no beast with me except the beast that I rode upon ... and I viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were in ruins”. That is what a faithful man would do. He made a survey of Jerusalem, and if you do that now, there is enough to cause genuine distress of heart.
HG If there is no wall, there is no gate. In the Song of Songs the bride says she is a wall and her breasts like towers. Then the question is raised as to the “little sister” — “If she be a wall”.
JT It is a question of fellowship here. Nehemiah found the walls in ruins and the gates burned with fire.
AFM Does that correspond with 2 Timothy?
JT I think it does. “Who then is the faithful and prudent steward?” Luke 12:42. That is the appeal today, Nehemiah was such an one.
WGH Would you open up the thought of “wall” a little?
JT First, we must consider the marks of a faithful man. He has an estimate of all things. What estimate has each one of us in regard to conditions as they are? If you have an estimate of things as they are, I am sure you are bound to be affected by it. One cannot be light hearted if one makes a survey of the house of God, of the general profession of Christendom, what there is — and particularly what has occurred since the recovery of the truth. Because [p. 252] this book really fits in with that. It contemplates what a great lapse and decline had taken place in the interim. Here we have a man inquiring from his brethren; and they were not without concern, as their report shows; chapter 1:3.
HG You are thinking of the decline since the recovery of the truth of the church?
JT Yes; that is, the history as it stands; it is sorrowful.
Ques Do you not have to have a secret experience with God in your own soul before you can be of help to the brethren?
JT I think so. Nehemiah says, “I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped which were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem”. You see, for the moment, his exercise is concerning the Jews who had escaped and concerning Jerusalem. There were other Jews. So that today it is a question really of the history of what has resulted from the recovery. How are things now?
HG When you speak about “fellowship”, do you mean that the walls suggest the exclusive character of Christian fellowship, as being the fellowship of the death of Christ?
JT Yes. I think Ezra’s ministry has the spiritual side more in view; that is, the priesthood, the temple, and so on; Nehemiah has fellowship before him; that is, the building of the wall and setting up of the gates. The two ministries run together. If we have the saints, we want to keep them, but we want to keep them in the light of their true spiritual genealogy. The walls refer to that by which things are protected, preserved. What is of Christ is preserved in the fellowship; the genealogy of the saints, as of Christ, is known and cherished there.
Ques Would you say that the “walls” are the saints coming together and keeping together?
JT Ezra maintains the inward spiritual relations [p. 253] of the saints; fellowship is more external: we must have the inward and the outward. In Ezra we have the embellishment of the house. The house, although composed of the saints, is a spiritual conception.
HG Apparently great care was taken in regard to the genealogy in Ezra. Things were more carefully inquired into.
JT The late recovery brought out the assembly’s relation to Christ: she is His body, and He her Head in heaven. Fellowship is necessary for the preservation of these great facts among the saints.
AFM After inquiring as to the welfare of his people and Jerusalem, Nehemiah turns to God in confession. That is very remarkable, preparatory to getting help from the king.
BTF In speaking of the rubbish and ruin found at Jerusalem, do you identify that with the present general state of Christendom, or with what has taken place since the recovery of the truth?
JT More particularly the latter. What has come in since is most humiliating. But the whole history of the assembly will ever be taken account of by those who love Christ.
Ques Would you say why Nehemiah should be chosen of God as he was? Why was he not at Jerusalem?
JT We can never tell who God may bring in. Here it is a question of faithfulness, and what great results may arise from it according to the light one has. God is behind all movements that are for the furtherance of His interests, but ostensibly the initiative is with Nehemiah here. He speaks later of what God had put in his heart.
WCR That brings in the thought of sovereignty again. Sovereignty is what God produces, and faithfulness in man is what God takes account of.
JT Here is a man who thought of Jerusalem and those who “had escaped, who were left of the captivity”.
Another said, “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!” Psalm 137:5.
AL Does not this show the character, generally speaking, of the remnant?
JT That is what one thought of. The faithful man would take account of things as they are. He takes it home to himself. What John saw was to be written in a book and sent to the seven churches. The faithful in each church could thus know the history of the whole, and the Lord’s mind about it.
AFM We can all be faithful, but not necessarily gifted.
JT Yes; we are over comers as we are faithful.
GWW I was thinking in connection with the wall, that what under laid it was that the sphere where the principles of the house were to obtain should be preserved. There were certain principles attached to the house. At the end you will find those who were hired and who wanted to defile the house; chapter 13:4 - 9. There is no steady movement in our souls until we begin to cherish the principles of the house. What Nehemiah takes account of is that things are broken down. He is concerned about the wall.
JT Those of us who have been a long time at Jerusalem should be concerned when one like Nehemiah comes to the help of the saints; but if we are with God we recognise heartily a man “come” — as it says, “To seek the welfare of the children of Israel”. He tells us of what he had seen. He was in Jerusalem three days, and then arose by night and viewed the city in its ruins, and a few men with him. He says he did not tell any one what God had put in his heart. We see in Nehemiah faithfulness and wisdom; he went about things in a wise way.
AFM He had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
JT Of the saints, and he moved wisely; first [p. 255] he acted individually, and through the lead he gave, others were brought into the service.
AFM Nehemiah suggested the building of the wall.
JT He says in verse 12 that he “told no man what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem”; but then in verse 17 he said to them, “Ye see the distress that we are in ... . Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem”. And “they said, Let us rise up and build”. Now you have a general movement. Nehemiah has got the saints with him, he has acted wisely.
RSS Verse 16 indicates who they were. It includes the priests and the nobles, and so on. He carried his brethren with him, that was the great point.
Rem Fellowship is promoted by wisdom.
JT First, faithfulness, then wisdom. If one who seeks to serve is with God he seeks the confidence of his brethren, so that they are with him.
BTF Would you say a word as to what the gates are, and what the wall is?
JT We want to get the brethren moving first.
BTF The reason I asked was because it was said to me that some here found it difficult to identify the Old Testament figures with the teaching of the New Testament.
JT If the brethren do not understand things, it is largely because they do not pray. The saints cannot do without reading and meditation. We are supposed to read ourselves, so as to know the mind of God. “Search the Scriptures”, (John 5:39) the Lord says. But what we are considering now is Nehemiah’s faithfulness and wisdom in his service, so that he got the brethren in movement. Later on he says some of the brethren were oppressing others, and then he says, “I consulted with myself”, Nehemiah 5:7. Note that especially; as an example, it saves from party collaboration.
HG What we have here corresponds with an [p. 256] assembly movement; it is not a gospel movement exactly.
Rem The apostle Paul was a comfort to the brethren.
JT He is like Nehemiah, as coming in later; Paul came in after the first movement. He went up and made himself acquainted with Peter, which was a wise movement. He established links with him whom God had been using. In such circumstances we may say, “Wisdom is the principal thing”, Proverbs 4:7 It is often the case that the Spirit of God produces an exercise in the souls of the people of God, and then brings in a man to voice the exercises and carry out what had really been produced there. It was simply that there was at Jerusalem a readiness, and when something came in to give it a start, everything was in movement at once.
JT That is it; God has the whole field of His interests always in view, and if He brings in a vessel He works in the saints so the end intended in His servant’s ministry is reached.
GWW Everyone responds immediately the voice is raised. The spirit in Nehemiah was stirred up and he is brought on the scene, and immediately the whole thing springs into life.
JS There is wisdom with Nehemiah as regards the keeping of things to himself until the right moment. He knew when it was the right time to let the people know.
JT Yes. He informed himself thoroughly first. One is greatly interested in the wisdom observed in Nehemiah. He goes out by night and makes a survey. Things were despicable even in regard to himself; there was only one beast, and no room for it, a most distressing state of things. There was scarcely room for the beast upon which he rode: the ways were closed up. That is what he found. Nevertheless [p. 257] he goes on, and he makes a survey, so that he had firsthand information.
AFM The “valley gate” would perhaps suggest his state of soul; it is humiliation and self judgment.
JT The valley gate, the jackal fountain and the dung gate together, suggest deep humiliation.
WCR He makes his survey by night, there is no pretension about Nehemiah. He does not come with any outward show. He has come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel, but in a very humble and obscure way. He has obtained the information necessary. One must know the conditions among the saints in order to be able to serve.
Ques Is there any analogy between this case and David in the Valley of Elah, who saw the situation in regard to Israel?
JT Yes; he took account of the situation as it was. He made a careful inquiry as to how matters stood before he engaged the giant.
RSS Was it not so with the Lord when He went into the temple and looked round about and saw the money changers? The next day He cast them out.
JT Yes; He came in first and “Having looked round on all things”, Mark 11:11. Then the next day He comes in from Bethany, and using the scourge, He casts them out.
WCR This would fit in with the spies in the land.
JT One has to be very humble in taking account of things among the people of God. You want the saints to join in the movement. Here they really take the initiative afterwards, as will be observed. It says in chapter 2:18, that they said, “Let us rise up and build”. Now you have got the saints moving, and the next chapter brings out what each one did. The high priest begins.
Ques Do you think it was because they let things [p. 258] go, that they were discouraged, and for that reason they thought they could not do anything? Nehemiah encouraged them.
JT Yes. A man coming in like this, with purpose of heart, it is wonderful what God can do through him. But the saints are at work now and chapter 3 brings out the variety of the work and how the wall was completed. As the people undertake to build, Nehemiah is one of them; in answering the enemies he says, “We his servants will arise and build”.
GWW Does it indicate a moral defect that Eliashib put up a gate without bolts and bars?
JT Nevertheless he sanctified it. What I think the Holy Spirit would show first is the faithfulness that comes out. Later on elements of evil were brought in, but I think the Holy Spirit would enlarge on the features of the beginning, what the brother was when he started to work. One knows of dozens of brothers who made a good beginning, but a painful ending.
AFM How about the ministry of such brethren when they were in their prime?
JT The good is taken account of. Eliashib takes the lead with his brethren; what happens later is noted in its own place. What Saul, Abner, and Joab dedicated to the house of God was treasured (1 Chronicles 26: 28). Even if a brother goes wrong, his service rendered when he was right is treasured.
Rem “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:25.
EHT The Holy Spirit took account of what the brethren did in their start. The word to us at the end is, “Let him that thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall”, 1 Corinthians 10:12.
JT What we get here in chapter 3 is the energy that there was. Everyone gave a hand and the thing [p. 259] was done. There was a general movement actuated by a spirit of mutuality: “Next unto him”, and so on.
AFM In contrast to these nobles (chapter 3:5) you have the ruler and his daughters labouring together (verse 12).
JT It is very interesting to see that Eliashib the high priest and his brethren the priests built the sheep gate. It seems to me to be a spiritual touch. The sheep must not be shut out. The priest thinks of the sheep.
W.B-s There is a good deal of cooperation in chapter 3.
JT That is it. There is the cooperation of the high priest and his brethren. “They built the sheep gate and sanctified it to the tower of Meah and the tower of Hananeel”, chapter 3:1. It seems becoming that the high priest should take the lead, which he does, and his brethren with him.
AFM Not only is he in the lead, but his brethren are with him.
JB The principles of the house were established in the hearts of these men.
JT It is a great thing to think of the sheep. The Lord said to Peter, “Shepherd my sheep”, John 21:16. The great leaders raised up in Old Testament times were marked by the spirit of the shepherd. Hence the sheep gate comes first here. Under the figure of sheep the saints are peculiarly interesting as needing care; they are defenceless. David said, “These sheep, what have they done?” 2 Samuel 24:17.
RSS The true spirit of the shepherd is seen throughout in Paul’s service to the saints, and the Lord’s commission to Peter (John 21) shows that the saints in this character were particularly on His heart.
WB-s If anyone interested in the things of Christ comes where there is a low condition among the people of God and acts in a wise way, he will find material — those he can work with. There are a [p. 260] lot of gatherings that do not make any headway. If there is one person exercised, do you think he could do like Nehemiah?
JT God will come in under such circumstances; the Old Testament as well as the New, abounds with illustrations of what God may do through one exercised man.
AL Like Nehemiah, that is to say, at the outset. Take the Reformation, it had a small beginning, but, while it began small, it had the greatest influence on the whole world.
JT What strikes you here is that the movement takes on a spiritual character. The reference to the high priest and his brethren shows this. When things begin thus, you may depend upon results for God, as this chapter shows (verse 32). The wall was finished. It was a spiritual movement; “He and his brethren”. There is cooperation, for the people worked one after another. We can all do something in turn, so that you have “Next unto him”. The movement spreads, and the workers fall into line. That is, I am placed in relation to you, and the man next to me in relation to me, and so on, until the thing is finished.
AL But the whole movement is the same.
JT Just so. Christendom generally is very different in this respect; they are not coordinated, they are working independently, and there is nothing for God in it.
WCR They do not build in relation to each other.
GWW It is all that there might be a condition of things pleasing under the eye of God. I am glad to say there is evidently a work of the Spirit of God at the present time, and it is universal. There may be all sorts of conditions in the world, but there are the little companies of saints everywhere maintained in the enjoyment of exactly the [p. 261] same things.
RSS I was just going to say that one has never noticed before so great an ear for the truth — not in one place only, but all over the world.
GWW The Spirit is working in the saints that there might be things here pleasant to the eye of the Lord.
JT That is what comes out here, and I believe it corresponds with what we have today. The Lord is endeavouring to bring about house conditions; these are seen where the saints are occupied with the same spiritual things. The unity of the Spirit is a catholic idea: all are governed by the same principles and enjoying the same things. We are walking in the same light.
GWW If a man of the world went from here to Australia, he would have to recognise what obtains in Australia, and adapt himself to the phases of the world as found there. But the saints have the same general thoughts, hopes and desires. They are thus pleasing before the Lord.
WCR “For also in the power of one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body”, 1 Corinthians 12:13.
JT That is the basis of the unity of the Spirit which is to be maintained in all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.
GWW It is the presentation of a solid front to the world.
AFM The principle of the sword and trowel is found there. Chapter 4 shows how the enemy resented the building of the wall.
GWW There is great evidence of the trowel.
JT “The builders had every one his sword girded on his side and built”, Nehemiah 4:18.
BTF Would you say that what constitutes the important principles of the wall is found in the Lord’s supper — that is, if we were true to what was involved in the Supper, the wall would be [p. 262] preserved?
JT Quite. We are called unto the fellowship of God’s Son, which is the dignity attached to it. Whatever we may be in the eyes of men, that is what we are called to — the fellowship of God’s Son. We are also in the fellowship of His death, which shuts all that is of the flesh out; and then the fellowship of the Spirit. All these features enter into the building of the wall. It is not a small conception, it is a very great conception. The New Jerusalem has a wall great and high.
AFM What does “The fellowship of his Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9) mean?
JT Well, it is the dignity of it, as I said. In Corinthians it is the fellowship of God’s Son, but John brings in the “with”, “We have fellowship with one another”, 1 John 1:7. The features are: the Person whose fellowship it is, the Son of God; the fellowship of His death; the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and fellowship with one another.
LDT Would you say a word about the fellowship of the Spirit?
JT It brings in what the Holy Spirit is to us. The Holy Spirit is a divine Person here — as really a divine Person as the Lord was when He was here, so that we have part in the Spirit. Think of having part in what the Holy Spirit is going on with now, all His feelings, sympathies, and desires! We have part in all that.
GWW Is that also involved in the fellowship of His Son, the reason for His coming here? We are drawn really into accord with the great purposes that were before Him. There are certain purposes before the mind of the Son to be effected, and we come into fellowship with Him in all these.
JT And then the blessed activities of the Spirit in keeping with that, so that one is in accord with all that the Holy Spirit is doing. He is said to be “another Comforter”, John 14:16; He is a Comforter in the [p. 263] way that He is among us, so that the understanding of “The communion of the Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians 13:14) would move us to make room for Him. And then the saints, too, so that John in writing his first letter begins as one who loved the saints. He would speak about what he had heard, seen and handled, so that these things might be enjoyed, but now he says I have a message, and that is the most serious thing; a message from God, because it deals with existing conditions, and God is unsparing. He will not spare. He says, I have got a message for you. “This is the message which we have heard from him and declare to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all”, 1 John 1:5. And then he says, “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another”, 1 John 1:7. We must make room for the saints, but fellowship with them is in the light. It precludes all that attaches to us as men and women born into this world. It is not our social position that obtains there but what we are as in the light.
AFM Then even provision is made for maintaining that.
JT Yes, “The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin”, 1 John 1:7.
CSP John’s second and third epistles correspond with what we are considering. “The elect lady” (2 John 1) would be a builder, and then Gaius also.
HG Would the fellowship of God’s Son express both Ezra and Nehemiah? Is it that there is a company down here in the maintenance of, and characterised by, all that came out in the Son Himself, both exclusively and inclusively? Is it that there is a circle of fellowship to which we are called which is the spiritual expansion of that Man, so that we inwardly would cherish all that is set forth in Him, and outwardly we correspond with His death — Ezra being the inward side and Nehemiah [p. 264] the outward?
JT I am sure that is right.
HG There is a continuation down here of that Man in the saints collectively.
GWW I thought that was the great important point; the Spirit is here to maintain something for the pleasure of God.
AL Is not that the completion of the wall? It was ended in fifty two days. It was brought to a rapid completion when a spiritual state was reached in them all.
JT Yes, it was a very fine piece of work. It was accomplished in fifty two days, as you say. This shows the energy that was there. As already remarked, there are four features which are of immense importance if you are occupied in the building. The first thing is the dignity of the fellowship; the second thing is the fellowship of His death, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ — we are committed to that. The third is the fellowship of the Spirit, and the fourth is the fellowship one with another. When all these things go together, you have a wall. It is not quite the thought of a fortress, where you are merely guarded from an enemy without. Inside you have the love of God, the love of the Son of God, the love of the Spirit and the love of the brethren.
AFM It is beautiful. I was thinking too about the energy. These workers were up at sunrise, and were working until the stars appeared; chapter 4:21. Such energy, with the morning and evening sacrifices, would be very pleasing to God.
JT Yes, quite. And then all classes were brought into the work. Besides the priests, Levites and certain distinguished persons and persons from various districts, there were goldsmiths, apothecaries, merchants.
HG You would hardly expect the latter classes to be building walls.
JT It is within the range of all. All find something [p. 265] to do. The generality of the interest and the energy of the workers, as seen in chapters 3 and 4 are very striking.
RSS Even the sisters may have part in the building, as we see here.
JT Undoubtedly. “The elect lady and her children”, 2 John 1; she had them with her, walking in the truth; and then Gaius held fast the truth and walked in it. Romans 16 gives a remarkable list of workers.
LDT “Walking in the truth” (3 John 4) would constitute a builder.
JT No doubt. Gaius did well in whatever he “wrought towards the brethren”, 3 John 5; he was one of the “fellow workers with the truth”, 3 John 8.
WB-s If this is a universal thought, are we not responsible for the saints in various places, to help them?
JT You are obligated to all the saints. If you listen to what the saints pray about you will find out whether they are “local” or otherwise. One of our weaknesses is undue local feeling. A locality, however important, is but an item in the whole field of God’s interest.
RSS The house of God is a universal thought.
JT Yes, and when one has the truth of the house of God in his heart it saves him from undue importance being attached to his local meeting, or comparing one meeting with another, or one district with another in the way of rivalry.
AFM Counting all that are mentioned in the book, there were, I think, twelve gates — suggesting universal outlet and inlet, according to God.
BTF Of course local needs are to be taken account of in each meeting.
JT Surely, but you also take account of the universal needs of the saints. What the Lord said to John was written to all the assemblies, so that what [p. 266] was said to Ephesus or Laodicea was known to all the others.
HG I find in speaking to God in the prayer meeting, I seem slow to pray for the whole assembly, and I feel very lacking in spiritual power to express in my thoughts the whole assembly. It is easier to pray for one’s own individual meeting. I can speak of the saints in Russia, and so on, but in my intelligent grip, so to speak, I feel it more difficult than what is local.
JT That is true of all of us. Colossians and Ephesians help us in that respect. “Love unto all the saints”, Ephesians 1:15. These two epistles would lead to a better apprehension of the house of God.
GWW “Love unto all the saints” (Colossians 1:4) is mentioned in both, showing the importance of it. You would not overlook in the prayer meeting the work of God in the locality in which you are placed; you would also feel concerned, not only for those who break bread with you, but you would reach out to even the last one that was converted.
JT Ephesians has the whole assembly in view. “That ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints” (Ephesians 3:18) shows how the Holy Spirit would lead us to house affections.
Rem Local conditions prepare us for thinking of the saints generally.
JT No doubt. If you are with God, you know about saints elsewhere. Many of us do not concern ourselves much outside of our local company.
GWW In the Lord’s supper all the saints are before us. “We, being many, are one loaf, one body”, 1 Corinthians 10:17.
JT In this instance (1 Corinthians 10:17) the apostle says, “we”, not ‘ye’; he includes himself and all.
HG In Colossians he speaks of praying for the saints having heard of their faith in Christ Jesus and the love they had for all the saints. During late years there has been more intercourse between brethren [p. 267] generally, and it has tended to promote fellowship. We are more in touch with saints in various places and it helps us to pray for them.
JT I have noticed that in the government of God conditions among the nations promote house affections. I believe the late war had that very thing in view. Need existing in some countries and this being met by saints in others, has drawn all closer together and national feeling is overcome.
GWW That is true, I am sure. Gatherings would deprive themselves in order to minister to others at a distance. God is behind it all.
JT What has confirmed one in that is the movement at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas laboured there for a year and local assembly relations were developed. Presently a prophet came down from Jerusalem and signified that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world. This had the effect of drawing out the affections of the Gentile believers, who ministered to the temporal needs of their brethren in Judaea, which of course, would tend to overthrow national prejudices and draw all together in love and confidence. Thus God works governmentally to further His interests in the assembly.
AFM “Every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: which also they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul”, Acts 11:29,30.
GWW The present moment is a serious one because of failure having come in since the truth was recovered to us.
JT Yes. That is what is in view in the book of Nehemiah, but while this is immediately before you the whole history of the responsible body is owned. In chapter 9 we see how the whole guilt of Israel is acknowledged.
GWW [p. 268] In what form has the failure appeared since the recovery of the truth?
JT In the principle of independence. This marked the movement in Plymouth and Bethesda. It also marked the later defections. The enemy has sought to set aside the truth of the house of God; fellowship in its local and general aspects has been disregarded by many. As soon as one desires to walk with the saints, he has got to face these things, hence the increased difficulty of the moment.
GWW It requires great spiritual energy to overcome.
JT The attack at Plymouth was in the assertion of clericalism and local independency; later the Lord Himself was attacked. Then the neutrality of Bethesda as to all this led the way in that looseness and independence which have, alas, become widespread. Chapters 4 and 6 of our book foreshadow the character of this opposition.