YOUTHFUL COMMITTAL
L. McFarlane
Daniel 1: 1–9, 12–16; Ruth 1: 1–9, 15–19; 1 Samuel 17: 41, 42, 45, 46
I desire to call attention to the youths of whom I have read in these three scriptures. The impression came to me from observation and the contributions of several of the young people in these meetings. At times we tend to speak of our young in a corrective way, whereas one’s exercise is to emphasize what is positive in them. The persons we have read about are an example even to those of us who are older. Daniel “purposed in his heart”. I want to speak about your hearts. Make a vow here in your seat tonight; purpose in your heart a vow of committal. I raise the question with us as to the influence we have with our young companions; what kind of an influence I am with the younger people. Daniel influenced these others. He came to something in his heart and influenced these young men around him. They were all of Judah. These scriptures all relate to Judah, which is a remarkable thing. We see the sovereignty of God in His operations, beginning with the youths. We need to value that, dear brethren; what is positive, what is proceeding in our young people, and to link on with it.
That is what Peter said on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2: 17, quoting from the prophet Joel, “And it shall be in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions”.
So Daniel purposed that he would not pollute himself. We are in very difficult times, and I would just desire that all might come to this, that we might not be polluted by the world. It is not the evil side of the world here, it is the ‘nice’ part of it, the respectable setting, that we have here in the king’s delicate food and the wine that he drank. It is what is accredited in the world in respectability. The question is—Am I going to be influenced by Babylon? The standard is maintained here in Babylon by these youths. During the last war the young men were conscripted; they became representative of the truth wherever they were found. We know not what lies ahead, but I think God is calling attention to the youths. They are the ones that are going to stand here in testimony. We desire to encourage you to stand, and not to be polluted by Babylon and what is proceeding in it. Daniel not only came to what he would not partake of, but the matter of intelligence is seen here in him; he knew what to eat, what to feed upon. Dear young sisters, this raises the question of what you are feeding on. Daniel knew what to feed on, what would help him. He desired pulse and water. You say, Well, that is a very meagre diet. Yes, as far as the world is concerned that is what it would be. But, ah, at the end of this time we are told that attention is called to their countenances. You see, God discerned in Cain that something was wrong. His countenance betrayed him (Genesis 4: 6).
Your countenance, dear friend, will betray what you are feeding on. It says that at the end of ten days these youths were fairer. Think of what is produced in a Christian household, what God has in our households; it is intended to produce what is fairer than all Babylon.
So Daniel goes through; he served under several kings; he continued. It is a great thing to begin well; thank God for our beginnings, but then we need to continue. There are those here with us this evening who have continued over decades. We respect and love them; they represent what is going through. So we are not just speaking of a picture on the wall; we are speaking of tangible things seen in persons in whom the truth has been formative, who have been subdued, and who have been set up here in testimony for God. So I bring forward Daniel as one who was concerned as to what he fed on, so that he was marked out in Babylon as one who had wisdom and knowledge above all that were there. In times of crisis Daniel was called upon; it could be said, “Art thou that Daniel?” (Daniel 5: 13). Heaven took account of this man, his committals and his youth. There was a point in his history when Gabriel addressed him as “one greatly beloved” (Daniel 9: 23). Oh, we are on a subject that leads to what is lovable, and I want to encourage you young people to continue what God has wrought in you, and not to be ashamed of it; to be here as Daniel who had to face many a trial and test in his history, but went through to the end.
Now I want to speak of this young sister. Ruth. These precious things we are speaking of are not just for the younger brothers, they involve our dear sisters. Ruth the Moabitess came in from the outside, but was one who in type had a great appreciation of Christ and of the local assembly. In Ruth we have one who commits herself to her local brethren, and that is a feature I want to commend. If you are going to be anything in the testimony, you will have to begin locally. Like Timothy, you will have to have a good commendation from your local brethren. Ruth was one who wholeheartedly committed herself. You may say we do not see anything of the assembly mentioned here. But Naomi typifies the work of God in this sense, particularly in the older ones. We older brethren, like Naomi, have much in our histories to humble us.
But all that is under God’s hand; it is His way of development. We all began as young men and young women in the testimony but something came into our histories to humble us, and that is Naomi. Now the tendency with us naturally would be to despise that and lose the blessing.
We can speak from experience as to many who have turned aside, disregarding the authority of the local assembly. It is a sorrowful thing to turn away from what God has set up in a place; it is there representatively. Ananias in Acts 9 was a man who needed some adjustment, but nonetheless he represented what was in Damascus, and the Lord is taking account of such where they are, as here in Villa Grove. The Lord is taking account of what is here by the way of experience and discipline. So the blessing results from Ruth’s cleaving to Naomi. These two girls, Orpah and Ruth, had the same opportunities, but the point came in their histories where it says of Orpah that she kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her own people. I trust that there is no one like that here this evening. You are not thinking of going into the world, are you?—of forming some link with the world? The Lord would speak to you tonight. Oh, cleave to what is local, cleave to your brethren, to what the Lord has here in testimony, what.is intended for your salvation. I remember an elderly brother many years ago getting up in a meeting to make a confession, and what do you think he confessed? He desired to confess to the brethren how they had saved him all his life long. Well, there are many of us who can say that this evening; the brethren have saved us; we have been preserved through the love of the brethren. The Lord would help us to be standing on our feet. So one would urge the young people to cleave to what is local; respect the local assembly; love it and serve it, and the Lord may in His own time have something more in view for you.
David is mentioned in the last verse of this book. It says, “Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David”. So the royal line is going through in subjection. The Lord has graciously brought this feature of the truth before us; it is the royal line, and that is the way we are going to be preserved—and held here for the testimony. Ruth became a woman of worth; she came into association with Boaz the mighty man of wealth. Dear young friend, have you had to do with Jesus, the mighty Man of wealth? Ruth in figure had to do with Him; she had nothing of her own, but she had to do with one who had everything. She became his own possession, and in the Lord’s genealogy you will see Ruth’s name mentioned in Matthew 1. God would appeal to our hearts this evening. He would appeal to anyone who is minded to go into the world, and I would appeal to you. Stay with the brethren, stay where there is food! Naomi heard that Jehovah had visited His people to give them bread. God is giving His people food; let us stay with them.
Finally, I want to speak of David in relation to our secret histories. I want to say a word about your secret history, what the brethren do not know too much about. David spoke to Saul of experiences he had with the lion and the bear. You might say, What kind of secret history could a young person have? Well, we have it right here in the scripture, a young man with a secret history with God. We were speaking today of Jesus at the age of twelve, and nothing more is recorded of Him for eighteen years. But were they idle days? Oh no! The days of Jesus were full; the Father took account of them. And here David appears on the scene as one who had a history. That is a very important thing, friend, your relations with the Lord Jesus, with the Spirit, what has taken place in your chamber in secret. It is a most important matter. It is not just coming to meetings. Thank God for everyone here, but it is more than just coming to the meetings. It is what is going on in secret. The enemy attacked David in the lion—that character of fierce attack—and then the bear, which would be more subtle. But David said he dealt with both, “and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them”. Then Saul put his armour on David, but David said, “I cannot go in these; for I have never tried them”. You see, a man with a secret history is always ready, and he does not need any make-up. The work of God is such that, as it proceeds in our hearts, we are available in times of crisis.
So there was this great crisis in Israel. Goliath challenged the armies of the living God. Saul and all Israel were afraid of him. Why should these men of war be afraid of the Philistine?
Why? These matters search us out, dear brethren. Are we operating on the same principles as the Philistine? Then we cannot face him. But here was David, the shepherd boy, coming in from the field. He had the wherewithal; he went down to the brook, in type the death of Christ meant a great deal to David. He went down to the brook and he selected these smooth stones. It would be helpful if we did this, having stones we are accustomed to use, smooth stones. David brought these stones up from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag and he dealt with the Philistine.
One would encourage us all, and especially the dear younger people, to desire this; to have to do with the Lord in secret, to be cleaving to what is local, and to have purpose of heart. May the Lord bless the word.
Address at Villa Grove. Ill.
26 December 1980