THINGS UNSEEN
[p. 308] THINGS UNSEEN
Address by F.E.R.
Hebrews 12: 18 - 29; Psalm 78: 59 - 72 There are two things presented in this passage which I have read: one is the things to which we are said to have come (it says, first, “Ye are not come”, and then, “Ye are come”), and the other, the voice which speaks — that is, the One who speaks from heaven. It is the same Person who has spoken throughout, the same voice, only there was a time when He spoke on earth, and now He speaks from heaven, and our responsibility is much greater on account of His speaking from heaven. Those who did not obey when He spoke on earth incurred responsibility, and we incur greater responsibility if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven. I want to mark this distinction.
First, I refer to the things to which we have come; it is a great thing to apprehend them, for the fact of any having come to them proves that the things are there. If they were not there, you could not have come to them. They are things which you do not apprehend by sight and sense, for they are not tangible in that way, but they nonetheless exist. There are many things existing which are not seen. Seen things are what the mind and eye of man can take in; but there are many things unseen, which are eternal, though not apprehended by natural senses. It is of the eternal things that I want to speak now.
Now what is referred to by way of contrast is the children of Israel coming to mount Sinai; they were brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, and then to Sinai, that they might hear the voice of God. This made them unlike any other nation, for no other [p. 309] nation on the face of the earth had heard the voice of God. We, too, are brought in a sense to hear the voice of God. But the first point of contrast is between the mount to which they came and the mount to which we have come. They came to mount Sinai and we have come to mount Zion. I want to make plain the distinction between the principles identified with these mounts.
And first it is important to remember that we have not come to things that affect man’s sensibilities and imagination. Many people conceive of christianity as though it were intended to affect man’s sensibilities and imagination; christianity has that character to a very large extent in the world. We see that in its extreme form in popery; every arrangement in popery is calculated to affect sensibilities and imagination; it is a system of sensuous worship intended for that purpose.
There is another element common in christianity, viz., that which tends to appeal to the mind of man. Now there was all that at mount Sinai. Everything seen and heard there was calculated to affect the sensibilities of man and to strike him with awe. “And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake”. And why? For the reason that God was dealing with man after the flesh, and therefore there was all that which was calculated to strike flesh with awe. Man was made to feel that although God spoke to him yet God kept him at a distance. There was no getting near God, but man was made to feel that there was what separated him from God. He heard the voice of God’s requirements, but what really came out was the ministration of death and condemnation, and God accordingly allowed the circumstances into which the children of Israel came, to be of an awe-inspiring character.
Now in contrast to that “Ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”. There are eight different items here to which we have come, being separated by the word ‘and’ in verses 22 - 24. Then at the close is the admonition in verse 25, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven”. Thus for an apostate from christianity there is no escape. For a man who broke the law of Moses there might be hope, but for an apostate from christianity none, for the reason that there remains nothing further to recover him.
The first thing is mount Zion, and I want to bring before you what it expresses on the part of God. It was that which led me to read the close of Psalm 78: 59 - 72. The allusion is to the ark having been taken captive by the Philistines in the time of Eli. He “delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand”. It was a dark moment — but God came in against the Philistines. What I understand as the force of the passage is the coming in of God in the sovereignty of mercy; but at the same time entirely refusing the first order which had been connected with Israel. When Israel came into the land the tabernacle was pitched at Shiloh, and the tribe of Ephraim was prominent, but when God came in after Israel had lost everything, in losing the ark, He “chose not the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved”, etc. God set aside and refused the first order established when Israel came into the land, and chose mount Zion and David.
Now that stands good forever. Shiloh and Ephraim had to go, but mount Zion and the tribe of Judah and David remain. What this expresses is the sovereign mercy of God, which is identified with mount Zion. And it means that when man has forfeited everything by perverseness, then in the sovereignty of mercy God [p. 311] comes in, and that mercy is identified with mount Zion. They had brought the ark to mount Zion when they sang the psalm in which is continually repeated “His mercy endureth for ever”.
I have no doubt but that psalm will be found in the mouth of Israel in the future, when God brings them back from captivity and restores them in the land. Their song will be, “Give thanks unto Jehovah, for his mercy endureth for ever”. What we have come to is the sovereignty of mercy. Ye are not come to mount Sinai, which is representative of responsibility, but to mount Zion, and we have to accept this. I do not think there is the idea of sovereignty in grace so much as in mercy. We read that “God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved); and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. Scripture seems to connect with mercy the thought of God’s sovereignty. It is a great thing for the soul to learn that there is mercy with God, identified with mount Zion, but we have to accept the sovereignty of that mercy. God said to Moses, “I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy”. That was said after the sin of the golden calf. On the other hand we read, “whom he will he hardeneth”. We are privileged to know God in the light as One who is rich in mercy. How is it we are here at this time, and that the mass of the people in this town are not here? It is a question of the sovereignty of mercy. The grace of God is alike toward all, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”. But we have the knowledge of mercy also; we are come to mount Zion.
The next item is, “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”. I think the idea presented is of the church according to the work of the twelve, especially according to Peter. The principle involved is “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him”. The heavenly Jerusalem is now in a sense suffering, but there is the privilege connected with it, viz., liberty. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free”. The effect of the revelation of the heavenly city, when it comes down from God out of heaven, will be liberty even to the creature. “The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”. That is connected with the heavenly city; the idea in it is privilege and, in connection with privilege, liberty. The church is suffering now, but the very fact of suffering prepares it to reign with Christ. God’s education of His people is remarkable. It is strange that suffering should prepare saints to reign; but that is so in the ways of God. The heavenly city is the city that is to rule. The idea of rule is connected with a city in Scripture; but the city now means liberty to us. The Lord said, “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”. Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. It shows the saints with God, conscious of His sovereign mercy, and of liberty with Him. We go in and out and find pasture. Grace has brought us into liberty; the Son has made us free, we have the freedom of the house. We have to stand fast in that liberty, and it is the liberty of access to God; it is a great thing to have liberty in your soul; you could not have it under law, but only in the presence of the sovereign mercy of God.
Most christians are entangled in the yoke of bondage. Some have the idea of being under law, some are under ceremonialism; but we have to stand fast in the liberty of the Spirit. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”. If you see a christian in bondage you may be certain that the Spirit has not His place in him. When the flesh is practically set [p. 313] aside in the power of the Holy Spirit, then it is you go in and out and find pasture. Liberty is the privilege of the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
The next point is “to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly”. I should connect that with a passage in the early part of the Hebrews — chapter 1: 13, 14. I look upon the angels as being guardians of the city. They are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. God employs the angels in that way. “Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire”. The saints here, the children of the heavenly city, are guarded and ministered to. God can minister for His people providentially in ways we do not understand. There are angels who protect the people of God. You may think sometimes that you are exposed to satanic agency, but there are God’s angels sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. It is well to remember that every agency that God employs is employed now on behalf of His people. God’s providence may in a way appear to be against His people; but angels are not the providence of God, but agents employed for His people.
The next item is “church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven”. The heavenly city is one aspect of the church, and the church of the firstborn another aspect. One is connected with the ministry of the twelve and the other with the work of Paul. It is interesting if, as is probable, Paul was the writer of this epistle, that he gives place here to the work and ministry of the twelve. They built the heavenly city; their names are in the foundations; they were building the church while Paul was persecuting. Their testimony was of Christ exalted, and it is that testimony that brings in the heavenly city.
But we have also the work of Paul, “church of the firstborn”. It is, I suppose, an allusion to the firstborn of the children of Israel. God claimed the [p. 314] firstborn; the church of the firstborn is for God. I understand it to represent not so much the idea of a city of rule and light for the earth, and liberty, not the church in that aspect, but the church God-ward, that is, as the worshipping company. It is leading up to God. It is not difficult to apprehend the church in the two lights: one, as coming out from God, the heavenly city; and the other, as carried in to God by the ministry of Paul. Paul takes the church in, John brings it out as the heavenly city, though Peter was prominent as the one employed of God to form the church in that sense, and it is he who speaks of it as a royal priesthood.
It is a great thing to give God His place and to allow Him to have what He claims, the saints for Himself. He has preserved us from judgment and saved us, and made known to us His calling; and it is that He might have His place with us, and that we might be for Him, the church of the firstborn which are written in heaven. What can be the value of the firstborn to God except as a worshipping company? It is of great moment to enter into our calling and to apprehend that in the eye of God we are risen together with Christ. I used to think that this was a question of realisation; I do not think so now. It lies in the apprehension of the resurrection of Christ and in it we are risen with Him. It is not through realisation, but through faith, you are risen with Him. It is the expression of God’s mind in the resurrection of Christ and hence is the place of saints, that they may be in touch with heaven; they compose the worshipping company, the church of the firstborn. That is the place of the church. You are risen with Him and quickened together with Him, brought thus into association with Christ, and so it says, “Set your affection on things above”. It is a company in touch with heaven, who will hereafter come out from heaven as the heavenly city; but in the meantime on earth they [p. 315] are risen with Christ and thus outside of the course of this world.
You can well understand that to those who are risen with Christ there is nothing here. How can a risen man have any object here? But he has everything above. When Christ was on earth, risen, all to Him was above, and saints are put in that light, outside of the order and course of things in this world, but in touch with that which is above. It only waits the moment when they will all go up together there. You are come “To the ... church of the firstborn which are written in heaven”.
And you are come “to God the judge of all”. This is the place which God takes in connection with the world to come. I do not think it is exactly Judge in the sense of sessional judgment, but rather of government; God Himself is Judge. You get this thought in the Old Testament, God comes out in that way in relation to the world; He takes account of things.
Then you come to “the spirits of just men made perfect”. It is the men, not the spirits, made perfect; and I understand that they have been made perfect by redemption.
And we are come to “Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant”. We read in chapter 8, “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also as he is the mediator of a better covenant”. Moses was mediator of the first covenant, Jesus of the new covenant. The first covenant spoke of God’s claim and right as regards man, the new covenant of God’s disposition toward man. So the Lord says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”, Jesus is the Mediator. The thought and disposition of God is expressed in Him; we learn in Jesus not that God is Judge of all, but the disposition of God toward His people. I believe it is set forth in the death of Christ, and so it is that He speaks of the new covenant [p. 316] in His blood, for it was the death of Christ that really expressed the disposition of God toward man. The truth is that God loved man. “After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared”. Of course the new covenant is established with a people here upon earth, but the new covenant brings out the disposition of God toward man.
Now we come finally “to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel”. The blood of sprinkling speaks of the righteousness and grace of God in which sin has been removed. The blood of Abel called to God for vengeance, but the blood of Jesus speaks of righteousness established for God in the death of Christ, so that His claim upon man is remitted to the believer. The blood of Abel was terrible, witnessing the first act of violence that ever came into the world. It is remarkable that though man came under sentence of death by sin, he precipitated death in the first instance by his own violence. Sin came out in two forms, first in transgression against God, then in sin against a man’s neighbour; Cain killed Abel. This was sin against God, of course, but the sin was immediately directed against man’s neighbour. Cain sinned against his brother and brought death in by violence before man had actually come under death by the sentence of God. Now the blood of Christ speaks better things than that of Abel. The grace of God has that character; it brings salvation to all men.
Then we get the admonition, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven”. There is a point of great interest in that passage to my mind. When God spoke upon earth He spoke to man of man’s things — of things connected with man’s responsibility. When He speaks from heaven He speaks of His own things, of what it [p. 317] is His pleasure to establish. He speaks of the things which are in His own heart when He speaks from heaven; He is free to do it. Christ has established righteousness, so that God might be free to speak to man of all those things which are in His purpose to establish; all the fruit of His sovereign mercy. As I understand it, it comes to man as light, not to affect his sensibilities or imagination; faith apprehends it.
It commends itself to man’s conscience, but is light to his heart. That is the object of the word of God. Man’s conscience answers to it, but at the same time his heart is illuminated. I abominate anything religious which tends to act on the flesh; but I welcome that which is of God, and while it commends itself to man’s conscience, it enlightens his heart, and if men turn away from that, they incur the most serious responsibility.
It adds, “Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved”. By kingdom I understand the rule of grace. The reign of grace is immovable; everything will have to give way to it; we receive it by faith. Then it says, “let us have grace”. You are brought under the rule of grace, grace is available. Therefore the apostle admonishes us, “let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire”.
Grace will not tolerate the will of man. Man’s will must be bowed in the presence of grace. What business has man with a will in the presence of God? The will of man gets its complete expression in antichrist, but the reign of grace will sweep away all that is of man’s will. The first thing is that the will of man should be bowed, and then he comes under the reign of grace. God remits His claim that man should not come into judgment, and we can obtain grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire. I think one is content that “our God is a consuming fire”. God will never tolerate the will of the flesh; in the people of God the will of the flesh will have to go. God is a consuming fire as to them, but at the same time He is to them the God of all grace. Now your heart can be quiet and at rest, so that you can be taken up with the things that God presents to you.
It is a great thing to apprehend the nature of the things to which we have come. They cannot be apprehended by sight, and sense, and intellect, but they are apprehended by those who are enlightened of God. That is where the word of God has come in, commending itself as the truth and light from God to man’s conscience, and bringing the light into his heart. I think it is a great deal better to be looking at these things than at the politics of man.
The first movement that will occur before anything of great moment takes place on earth, will be at the right hand of God. Christ will rise from the right hand of God, and hence it is better for the christian to keep his eye on Christ at the right hand of God, and from there he will be able to follow the movements which are to take place on the earth.