A SYSTEM OF HELP

A. P. Devenish

1 Samuel 9: 22–24 (to ‘reserved’); 10: 1–6

I think we were all impressed with the number of young brethren that were at the recent meetings in Edinburgh and our prayers last night were for our young brethren. I would suggest that there was a great system of help available for this young man. Saul. I am not now referring to his later disobedience, but rather what was available to him for his help. There was something special provided for Saul in chapter 9, something reserved for him. I think we had some impression of that in the addresses that were given in Edinburgh; they evidently had our young brethren in mind and we should be always thinking about their prosperity and they should have some sense of having something special from the Lord. It says “Behold that which has been reserved!”, what the Lord has in reserve to encourage and help forward our beloved young brethren. I thought this would help us to see that there is a system of help available, remarkably coordinated. Saul was to get the benefit of the wonderful system of help that was provided for his blessing. We would like to have a part in the system of help at the present time.

Samuel says at the end of chapter 9, “that I may cause thee to hear the word of God” (1 Samuel 9: 27). What ability do we have, beloved brethren, to cause, to effect something, bringing in the word of God. It says “Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him”. What affection do we have? What evident demonstrated affection do we show? For one another and for our young people, especially having them in mind in our thoughts that we might be available in order to bring blessing and promote the work of God, “that I may cause thee to hear the word of God”. Then it says “When thou goest from me today, thou shalt meet two men by Rachel’s sepulchre”; how much that brings to mind, Rachel’s sepulchre. At the birth of Benjamin she died and called his name Benoni, son of my affliction (Genesis 35: 18), then his name was called Benjamin, son of the right hand. It speaks about Rachel weeping for her children “because they are not”, Jeremiah 31: 15; Matthew 2: 18. What feelings we should have, beloved brethren, for those that may turn away. Rachel weeping for her children; do we feel intense sorrow? I think the Lord would bring that home to us, perhaps tonight, that we should have deep intense feelings of sorrow about our beloved young brethren that may have turned aside, and be earnest in our prayers and supplications that God may work in view of their recovery.

It says “and they will say to thee, The asses are found which thou wentest to seek, and behold, thy father has dismissed the matter of the asses, and is anxious about you”. Are these feelings with us beloved brethren? Are we anxious, yearning after our young that they may come into blessing? He is anxious about you, “What shall I do for my son?” Surely this would promote desire to be available to bring our beloved young ones into blessing. There may be only a few in this locality and a few in our locality but the same feelings should be with us, we are anxious about them. The world has so much that would draw them away in the present time; more than when we were young, the influences and temptations in the world are immense. Are we anxious about them, “What shall I do for my son?”, what are we able to do? We do not just sit back in our chairs and hope that they will come into fellowship, hope that they will be blessed, what are we able to do? It says “What shall I do for my son?” Great feelings must enter into that reference, “What shall I do for my son?” I would like to take that home to myself, “What shall I do for my son?”, what can we do in order to affect our young people and bring them into the full joy and blessing of the fellowship.

It goes on to say—“And thou shalt go on forward from thence, and shalt come to the oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God”. It is remarkable how coordinated, how precise the timing is, no doubt as under the direction of the Lord, one coming after another. It says they were “going up to God”. That should be characteristic of us beloved brethren, not only when we come to the Supper. How wonderful it is to be going up to God, but then it should be characteristic of us and that we should have something, we do not go empty. The Israelites were not to appear before God empty, they were to have something to offer and no doubt these things represent something that they had substantially, “one carrying three kids, and another carrying three cakes of bread, and another carrying a flask of wine”. So this young man, Saul, would see persons that were characteristically going up to God, that God would be before them and that they had something to bring. No doubt Saul was given something, “and give thee two loaves, which thou shalt receive of their hands”.

Once again it raises the exercise of what we convey, what we can impart, what can we give that we have? In 1 Corinthians 14 it speaks about having, each one has something, “has a psalm ...” (1 Corinthians 14: 26). We do not come to the meeting empty, we do not come without exercise, we are characteristically going up to God and we have something that we have acquired through exercise. Beloved brethren how much we should be able to furnish that then becomes available for the encouragement and blessing of our beloved young people. That is really all I have to say. They go on to meet the prophets which is a fine reference too, but I would just commend these things to the beloved brethren. In the name of the Lord Jesus.

Word in meeting for ministry, Kirkcaldy
25 October 2011