GOD'S END - HIS HOUSE
GOD’S END — HIS HOUSE
Genesis 13:17,18; Genesis 22:19; Genesis 31:3; Genesis 35:1
I have in mind to show, from these scriptures, how a believer is led on in soul history to the house of God. Abraham, as you will remember, is said, in the New Testament, to have “dwelt in tents” (Hebrews 11:9); and in this book it is said that Jacob was “a homely man, dwelling in tents”, Genesis 25:27. Doubtless he had learnt from his grandfather how thus to dwell; and it was in keeping with the light vouchsafed to him that he should so dwell. It is also in keeping with the light granted to us that we should not settle down, but maintain a pilgrim’s attitude; that our dwelling environments should be portable. As the light came to these great examples of faith they learnt how to dwell, affording a pattern for us.
I wish now to show that in Abraham we have, at the outset, an understanding of divine things being stable. You will have observed that in chapter 13 he moved his tent and dwelt by the ‘oaks’, as it should read, “of Mamre, which are in Hebron”. God had told him, upon Lot having separated from him, to lift up his eyes and take account of the land and all its extent, that all was to be his. In like manner, as the gospel is known in the soul, it opens up an immense domain. It is God’s glad tidings concerning His Son, declared to be the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness by resurrection of the dead; Romans 1:1 - 4. “Gone into heaven”, Peter says, “angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him”, 1 Peter 3:22. “The glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God”, (1 Timothy 1:11) as presented to us, opens up an immense domain of blessing; and although immense [p. 330] it is all our own. It is available to the believer, and God intends that we should move accordingly; and in moving that we should have Himself before us. So we follow up the normal exercise resultant from the light, and begin to see, at least, that certain things are stable; for we learn only in part. We must not assume that we can take in the whole scope of purpose given to us in Christ risen and glorified, at once. In a way, there is nothing more damaging than that we should assume to have divine things prematurely. You recollect how that Peter and John, after they heard that the Lord had risen, ran to the tomb and that John outran Peter. What progress these young men are making! One is exceeding the other, but they are both doing well, as it might have appeared. But it is not how we start, but how we end that counts. We find that notwithstanding their running, they went to their own homes after examining the sepulchre. They looked into the empty sepulchre, and believed, but it must have been a negative kind of faith — faith based on an empty sepulchre. We need more than an empty sepulchre; we need to see the One who had been there. If there is to be stability in our souls, we must apprehend the Person; and for this there has to be a lingering. Mary Magdalene, who had given the lead in the running, did not go to her own home, she remained without at the sepulchre weeping; an empty tomb to her meant a blank. Her faith would rest on more stable foundations than that; and it was to her the Lord appeared. He said to her, “Mary”, and not only did He call her by name, He enlightened her soul. He says, “I ascend to my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God”, John 20:17. She now has the light; not only of the risen Christ, but of a Christ able to ascend up to heaven. Her soul is set up in relation to Him and so she could, so to speak, dwell [p. 331] by the oaks of Mamre. Oaks suggest stability. I would say to the young people here: In progressing in the light, you do well to tarry, to take a calm, deliberate account of things, and as something stable appears in your soul, pitch your tent there. It is an immense thing to learn to move with the light, and to carry with you all your living environment. So Abraham moved his tent and pitched by the oaks of Mamre, and built there an altar to Jehovah. The altar was in keeping with the light of his soul, and he was now dwelling in relation to what was stable. Stability of soul is rare. Many of the Lord’s people are living in relation to what is visible; that is not living by faith but by sight. Abraham was living by faith; hence, as he received an accession of light from God, as to His purpose he moved his tent to correspond with it. The domain opened up to faith is immense, but in order to enter into it intelligently you need to lay hold of something that you know to be stable; doing this you live there, and God is before you; for any movement in which God is not before us, is not one of faith.
I wish now to show how we are led on to the light of Christ risen from the dead, because Abraham has to be regarded as a type of the believer. He is also to be taken account of as a representative of God, as indeed all the patriarchs are. In Chapter 22 he is not by the oaks of Mamre, but in Beersheba; that is to say, he has increased light. He has been on mount Moriah, and has proved that “On the mount of Jehovah will be provided” (Genesis 22:14). You see, he is progressing, having arrived at what you might call a permanent proof of the faithfulness of God. He named the place “Jehovah-jireh”. It was to stand out as a landmark of faith that, as the believer progresses, he discovers that God can provide for him under all circumstances. One wonders how much this has been proved in our souls, for at times [p. 332] God allows us to be severely tested. He loves us too well to leave us alone, and so allows things to happen that test us to the utmost, but the test, as it draws out our faith, also discloses the faithfulness of God; as the apostle says, “God is faithful ... the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him”, 2 Corinthians 1:18,19. It is a wonderful thing to lay hold of Christ as presented in this threefold way, as the apostle says, “By me and Silvanus and Timotheus”, as though God would have, among the Gentiles, an unquestionable testimony to the Son of God. How much have we believed of the gospel? The Lord said to the man in John 9:35 “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” Did the Corinthians believe on the Son of God? Some of them no doubt did, but generally, they were questioning Paul. They were not living by the oaks of Mamre, nor were they recognising that God was supporting Paul. He was one of the oaks of Mamre, for there was stability in his walk and ways. He had brought amongst them the light of the Son of God, and his spirit and ways were in keeping with his preaching; his preaching was supported by Silvanus and Timotheus; for they also preached the Son of God. These three servants were not preaching a doctrine merely, but a Person. Christianity is not a system of doctrines, it relates to Persons. The Corinthians were questioning the veracity of the great apostle. But he says, our preaching “was not yea and nay”. He preached the Son of God, in whom is the yea; but they were not stabilised in their apprehension of the Son of God. They were living in the atmosphere of suspicion. What a terrible atmosphere for Christians to live in! Everything was stabilised in Christ risen from the dead; and Paul was secure there; indeed, he speaks of the promises, the yea and the amen in Him, being [p. 333] for glory to God by us (2 Corinthians 1:19 - 21); linking those to whom he preached with himself. So that it is well to see that there may be a nominal acceptance of the gospel, and yet the living in the atmosphere of uncertainty, instability and suspicion, for these things go together. Now Abraham was outside such an atmosphere, having been tested to the utmost, he relied on God, saying, “The Lord will provide”. This great truth of God’s faithfulness is established so firmly that it became a fixed doctrine of Israel. “In the mount of Jehovah will be provided”. You see it is in relation to the mount of Jehovah, which involved the death and resurrection of Christ, as typified in Isaac. We must keep our eye on the mount of Jehovah, or Satan may be hindering us by that which is not of Jehovah’s providing. Any other provision is to be regarded with extreme suspicion, and it may turn out to be a curse. Here is a man in the light of God’s provision in His mount, and heaven knows him. “Abraham, Abraham!” Think of being signalised by heaven as walking in the light of the Son of God, Christ risen from the dead! Everything that divine love has designed and secured for us is there.
Abraham came down to his young men with a heart full of heavenly light and confirmation. How much anyone possessing such light may impart to those about them! It is thus, indeed, that God helps His people; as established in the light of the Son of God. Abraham’s young men had not gone up to the mount, but were under Abraham’s direction. It is beautiful to see these young men in subjection; for young men, generally speaking, like to lead. We possibly remember that the Levites were taken into account, from a month old and upward. They were not regarded as fit for service until they had arrived at the age of thirty, a long time for a young man to wait, who has aspirations [p. 334] to serve the Lord; but he has to learn, in the interim, to keep his body under. The energy of the flesh, and its results, are little known to the young believer, so that divine restraint is necessary, up to thirty, and is in love. The Lord said to Peter, “When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest” John 21:18; hence the wisdom of divine restraint and limitations. Restraint is needed in young people. They learn to serve as in subjection by doing what they are told to do, until they reach the age of thirty, when they are regarded as qualified for service.
When Abraham returned to his young men, he was a very different Abraham, we may say, although a wonderful man before; already his name had been changed; he had, moreover, given up the flesh, for he was circumcised. He had also received a visitation from God, by the oaks of Mamre. Isaac had been weaned, and he had made a feast for him. Finally he had offered up Isaac, and had received him from the dead in figure. Think of the moral greatness of the man as he came down from the mount! Then, having returned to his young men, it says, “They went together to Beersheba”. What a precious sense of communion would be enjoyed amongst them, as the great patriarch in the light of heavenly favour, and of a risen Christ, walked with his young men to Beersheba! Then it says, “He dwelt at Beersheba”. You say, What does that mean? It means that he is established in the faithfulness of God. He has in his soul, in type, the assurance of the fulfilment of the promises of God. God had just sworn to him; there was the promise and the oath; these two unchangeable things by which he should have strong encouragement; Hebrews 6:13 - 18. He dwelt at Beersheba (the well of the oath) that is, in the full light of the faithfulness of God, typically, that all the promises of God are yea and amen in [p. 335] Christ. How much these young men would profit by the spiritual impressions of this great patriarch! There is a word in all this for the elder ones amongst us. The patriarchal idea is one of the greatest ideas of Scripture; it means that the elder ones consider for the younger ones, and prepare them to continue the testimony of God. So you find in Peter’s address, on the day of Pentecost, the reference to David as a patriarch; Acts 2:29. His Son, the promised heir, had come. As it says, “Of David’s seed according to flesh, marked out Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead”, Romans 1:3,4. He had gone into heaven, and the promise made to David is now accomplished in Christ, the true Solomon. You will bear with me, I feel sure, for one is impressed that God would speak to the elder brethren. If the testimony is to be continued, there must be their patriarchal example and instruction.
I now come to Jacob. In him you see the idea of dwelling carried forward to the house of God. You will all remember how the light of the house came to him. Indeed, he named the house; he says, “This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven”, Genesis 28:17. And what did he see? A ladder extended from earth to heaven and God was above the ladder and Jacob at the bottom. The ladder was between God and Jacob. But there were living angelic communications; as it says, “Angels of God ascended and descended upon it”. Jacob awakes out of his dream and says, “This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven”. Jacob may, therefore, be taken to represent the believer as arriving at the house. He had remained in Syria for twenty years; and God said to him, “Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred”, Genesis 31:3. If there is one here who has strayed, and who finds himself in the [p. 336] by-ways of this world, this word is addressed to you. It is no longer a question of what is optional, but imperative: this is a direct word from God to you. Return to the land of your fathers! God appeals to your family instincts. You have been there in your younger days. You have tasted the sweetness of family affections and care, even as Jacob did. The knowledge of this should lead you to return to the Lord’s people, to the family of God. You have been away from the land of your fathers, and from your kindred, but God is saying, Return. What a word for anyone who has turned away from the joy of family relationships! You know you have brethren, that they love you, and have been praying for you. They have missed you. The word is, therefore, from God direct to you tonight: “Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee”. What an encouragement! Can you resist such an appeal — an appeal with such a privilege attached to it: “I will be with thee”? God has not been with you in your movements in this world. Whatever you may have acquired in those movements has not brought about divine support. Now He says, “I will be with thee”.
I pass on to chapter 35. Jacob has progressed, in acting on the word. He had returned to the land of his fathers, but he had not as yet recognised Bethel. He had come short. God looks for complete recovery; He has the very best thing for us. He knows and loves us too well to allow us to stop half way. There are many who do this, like Jacob, who built a house at Shechem on the way back; but, alas, he got into disgrace there, and now God says, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there!” This is not optional, as Deborah says, “Hath not Jehovah commanded?” (Judges 4:6). If the Lord has commanded, it is imperative, and something will surely happen to you, if you do not submit. God says, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there”. I want, for a moment, to show what is in store for you. When Abraham dwelt at Beersheba he got light about the assembly, typically. It says that it was told him that his brother Nahor, who begot Rebecca, had sons, one of these was named Bethuel. It is a wonderful moment when light breaks into our souls about the assembly. That is the highest point we get in Abraham. A little later he sent his servant to secure Rebecca for Isaac. Here we have the full height of Abraham’s faith. He has light about the assembly; and he will see it related to Christ. Now Jacob comes to the same assembly, typically, in another way. He arrives at Bethel, and God appears again to him, as he returned from Padan-aram, and blessed him. I dwell on this so that if there is one here who has returned spiritually, he may see what there is for him. One important thing to notice is that, as you arrive at Bethel, you find others, for the house of God involves the saints.
Jacob brought all that were with him to Bethel, and God appeared to him again, and blessed him, saying, “Thy name shall not henceforth be called Jacob”. He did not ask, ‘What is thy name?’ at Bethel. At Peniel He had done this, and he said, “My name is Jacob”. But in the house God knows your name, and says it is to be no more Jacob, but Israel. What I would like to impress upon every believer is, that you are in the house on account of spiritual energy, and God names you accordingly. He says your name is Israel. Jacob as a prince had prevailed; for he had power with God and with man; so that at Bethel, God appeared to him and blessed him. Then it says, He talked with him. He is no longer on the top of the ladder, but rather beside Jacob; and as God spoke to him He went up from the place where he stood; and Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had talked with him,
[p. 338] and poured a drink offering on it. It meant that he was conscious that he was agreeable to God. God had given him the consciousness that he was pleasurable to Him. If you rightly enter the house, you will be made conscious of the divine pleasure in you. God has pleasure in you, for you are there in entire suitability to Him; and in the dignity of a prince; you are made thus suitable through the death of Christ, and the gift of the Spirit. Jacob was conscious that God was complacent in him, and so he raised up a pillar, and he pours a drink offering on it. Could anything be more attractive than the spot where you are conscious of God’s complacency in you? No, indeed. Hence Jacob pours a drink offering on the pillar; and then the oil, denoting the dignity in which he is to be henceforth; for he is no longer to appear in the crookedness and waywardness that had hitherto marked him. Thus the believer has definitely committed himself to God, who loves him, and is complacent in him; henceforth he is going to maintain what is due to Him. The oil means that the believer is to be, henceforth, in the dignity of the house. Then certain things happen which although the cause of sorrow, nevertheless, help the Christian: Deborah, Rachel and Isaac are buried. These close, natural links are snapped. In this way God helps us, as we take up our places in His house. As we are established in the house, the natural links go, but the spiritual ones remain. So that chapter 35 is one of victory for Jacob.