THE ARK OF THE COVENANT (4)
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT (4)
JT We are on Ephesian ground here. Christ having become known through the wilderness experience of the saints, ending at the passage of the Jordan, this chapter is testimony resulting from that.
It is a known Christ that we announce. Paul says “God ... was pleased to reveal his Son in me that we may announce him”, Galatians 1: 16. Our testimony is not simply of One we have read about, but of One whom we know. It will be observed that there are no gifts mentioned in Colossians; in Ephesians, however, a list is given. Gifts are from an ascended Christ.
RB You mean that He is the subject of testimony.
JT One who had gone through Jordan, having spoiled principalities and powers, making an open show of them. The triumph is complete. Then it says, “He led captivity captive”, Ephesians 4: 8. In Ephesians there is not only the public display of the triumph, but captivity is led captive. He ascended on high, and gave gifts to men.
Rem Gifts, then, should be valued in the light of being the spoil of the ascended Man.
JT They are here, really, in the power in which the Lord overthrew and spoiled principalities and powers; so that nothing can withstand them. The apostle says, “Though we walk in the flesh ... the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”, 2 Corinthians 10: 4, 5. The apostle presents there what gift was in him.
EH I suppose the perfecting of the saints would [p. 296] also be the mark of the Lord’s love to His people; — His consideration for them, knowing their needs.
JT Yes; “Until we all arrive at the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man”, Ephesians 4: 13.
EM Would the walls of Jericho set forth the work of the enemy in men’s minds?
JT Yes; what the enemy has built up so that the testimony of Christ might be shut out. The apostle Paul attacked the world in its stronghold. And he did it in the sense of the power he had from the ascended and glorified Christ. It was all broken down, in principle, in the death of Christ; but the testimony had to be rendered.
JM Would leading captivity captive refer to the saints taking this path through Jordan after the Ark of the covenant?
JT I think it refers to death. The Lord has taken death out of the hand of Satan as David took the sword of Goliath and cut off his head therewith; Hebrews 2: 14.
JM Is the testimony carried on in those that have taken that way?
JT It is carried on in those who know what a great asset death is now, as in the Lord’s hand.
EH What is meant by leading captivity captive?
JT I think it refers to death; that by which the people were held in bondage is taken out of Satan’s hand. Of course, we were in captivity; but I think it refers to the means by which we were held in bondage. His own sword is turned against the enemy.
JM He delivered those “who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage”, Hebrews 2: 15.
AA Would Samson, in carrying away the gate of the city, illustrate it?
JT Yes; he carried away the doors of the gate [p. 297] of the city, and the two posts, bar and all, and carried them up to the top of the hill. It is to be noted that it was the hill that is before Hebron. This city is connected with the purpose of God.
RB You mean that death is no longer in the hands of Satan; it is held by the Lord.
JT Yes; “I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore, ... and have the keys of hell and of death”, Revelation 1: 18.
RB When the Ark went over Jordan, not only were the waters cut off, but they also stood on a heap.
JT Yes; others went over Jordan after that, but it was a Jordan that had already been dried up.
WHM “Very far from the city Adam”. What does that mean?
JT I think it means that it was cut off at a distance; whereas at the Red Sea the water-walls were near. At the Red Sea the waters were protection against the enemy behind, but there is no enemy behind at the Jordan. The enemies are in front; a dried Jordan lets Israel go over to attack and take possession.
Ques Would you say that only one who had travelled that road could take up Ephesian ground?
JT Yes; those who had been through Jordan, and had encompassed Jericho. We are in the presence of mighty warriors here; they are now attacking the stronghold of the enemy. The testimony is carried on in the power of the love in which Christ went into death, and brought life and incorruptibility to light.
EM Did the pulling down of strongholds, to which the apostle refers in 2 Corinthians 10, commence after Acts 2?
JT Yes, quite so; the apostles wielded the power of Christ. The power in which they exercised their gifts was the power of an ascended Christ.
EH Is not the testimony in Ephesians more the retaining possession of what they got, than taking [p. 298] possession of the land? They have been put into possession of the land by Joshua, so to speak, and they are to hold to it.
JT Possession had already been taken by the apostles. That brings in Paul’s service at Ephesus. He taught at Corinth for eighteen months, “the word of God”, Acts 18: 11. It was a question of bringing in God; setting up the tabernacle, in which the thoughts of God would be set forth. So it is a wilderness position at Corinth; but in Acts 19 it is “the word of the Lord”. “With might the word of the Lord increased and prevailed”, Acts 19:20. It is a military reference. It is a question now of subjecting every thing to the Lord. In chapter 18 it is “the word of God”.
JM You said just now that the apostles had taken possession. Does that mean that they have taken up the heavenly position of the assembly?
JT That is involved. In the apostles’ testimony you have the complete overthrow of every phase of the world.
JM Perhaps you would open that up for us a little more.
JT Well, the apostle arrives at Ephesus, having passed through the “upper districts”, Acts 19:1, referring, no doubt, to what was in the mind of God in the testimony that was about to be developed. And finding twelve men at Ephesus he raises the question with them as to whether they had received the Holy Spirit, and on learning that they had not even heard of Him he asks, to what then were they baptised? and they answered, “To the baptism of John”. Then after some instruction they were “baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus. And Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them”. That is to say, they received the Holy Spirit in connection with Paul; he laid his hands on them, implying that he was committing himself to them; and the great [p. 299] truth committed to him would be developed there. Then the apostle is seen later in the school of Tyrannus, reasoning daily, for two years, “so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks”. The word of the Lord here implies His power. One result of this was that “many of those who had practised curious arts brought their books of charms and burnt them before all. And they reckoned up the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver”. We are told all this to show how completely they had been affected by the word of the Lord, which was so powerfully presented in Paul’s ministry. It was there that the apostle brought in the purpose of God. He says, “I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God”, Acts 20:27.
EH You mean that it was in that way they were put in possession in their minds and hearts of what answers to the land here?
JT That is so; Jericho was broken down.
Ques Does this not mark another point reached?
JT Yes, I think Ephesus is the end of the ministry reached. In Ephesians the Ark finds a resting place. The walls fall down, and that has reference to the way the testimony is presented, — the manner of it. Paul calls their attention not only to his doctrine but also to his manner of life. The arms of his warfare were not carnal. There never had been such an attack on a city as this. Think of an army of men such as Joshua had, valiant, powerful, experienced and well trained; and yet they are not to strike a blow; they are just to march round the city. The point is that it is the Ark and the priests and the trumpets, — no room there for oratory or any effort of the flesh!
There you have Gilgal. They lodged there, but they are going further. At Gilgal the humiliating thing, circumcision, is administered; meaning that [p. 300] the reproach of Egypt was rolled away; a complete cutting off. The flesh is brought to nothing there, and the method of the testimony set up in this chapter is to call attention to the complete disallowance of the flesh, no matter in what form it is. Although Paul was still in the flesh he said, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal”, 2 Corinthians 10:4. Whatever you bring forward in the flesh is futile. The method that is outlined here presents the divine thought of service and of testimony.
Ques Why do the armed men come first, in verse 12?
JT I think the armed men went before, to show the power that was there.
RB And were they not there possibly to emphasise what has been already stated; that arms were not required. It was another power.
JT The armed men represent the power that was available, but the bearers of arms had to learn the manner of war in Canaan. The captain of Jehovah’s army is in command, and His methods are now in evidence. Wilderness experience will not suffice. We have to learn this new way. The Lord must take the lead in this, and He does. He is the Captain of Jehovah’s hosts. I think we must bear in mind the manifestation to Joshua. We have been speaking about light coming in at each encampment. Well, the light of this encampment is military light, because now it is different warfare in view of the testimony of Christ. This testimony means the overthrow of all that would oppose the saints entering into this heavenly inheritance. All must give way to Christ.
TMG “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might”, Ephesians 6: 10.
JT That is it. The believer has come to apprehend Christ now in His beauty and His power. You are impressed with that, and you say, in effect, that [p. 301] all must give way to this Man. He is received in heaven. He goes up, and the Psalm fits in here, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory”, Psalm 24: 7 - 10. Well, if you have the light of that Man in your heart, and you preach Him, you have the idea that everything must give way to Him.
JM And that is what the testimony is at this moment. The assembly has not only a heavenly position, but has the light that everything is to be brought into subjection to Christ. There is an answer to everything that is wrong now.
JT Yes, consequently the encampment at Gilgal brought out light from the Lord, which we may call military light. It means that I have apprehended Christ in my heart, and I am to announce Him, and in announcing Him I impress people with the fact that that Man must be supreme. Saul’s last word to David, drawn out by the grace of the latter, was, “Thou ... shalt certainly prevail”, 1 Samuel 26: 25.
EM In the wilderness the Ark went before, here they go before the Ark. What is the idea?
JT Well, we are in the presence of fresh light. Referring to the Scripture we read: “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand; and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my [p. 302] Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so”, Joshua 5: 13 - 15. It is a revelation one might say — a new manifestation. Now here we have a Man, but a Man who styles Himself the Captain of Jehovah’s army, and commands come from Him. This is new to Joshua. He had been that, but now he has to take his place in lowliness. He says, “Art thou for us or for our adversaries?” Very often there arises a kind of party spirit amongst the saints. Not so here, in Jehovah’s army. The army of Jehovah is a universal thing. It is a purely military position here. The Ark is carried aloft in the midst of military display. The trumpets call attention to it.
Ques Is the Ark viewed here as in the midst of the people?
JT Yes. All the previous education enters into this; as when they marched through the wilderness, the Ark was to be in the midst, and it was carried by the Kohathites; but now it is the priests who carry it. It is now more priestly service, and the Ark has its own place in this military order of things. This is the light that would govern Joshua henceforth. He would act now as responsible to another.
Ques In what way does the Lord take up this position now?
JT I think He acts through leadership in others. The conflict goes on.
Ques Does the thought of headship come in at all?
JT In so far as it would be associated with military leadership. It is the public testimony that is in view here. It is not assembly privilege. It marked the ministry of the apostles, and we are to learn from them. It is the testimony of God as it was rendered at the outset. Paul said, “God was pleased to reveal his Son in me”, Galatians 1:16. That Man had such a place in Paul’s heart and mind that, in announcing Him, he conveyed the idea that everything must give way before Him. Christ passed through the heavens that He might fill all things.
PSP Does the compassing of the city cover the whole of the present period, the time during which the testimony is being rendered in view of the world’s overthrow?
JT Strictly, Jericho was brought down through Paul’s ministry, as seen at Ephesus. It is for us to stand in the inheritance thus possessed. Still, as the truth had been surrendered, the ground had to be regained; and so conflict goes on.
PSP The people compass the city, as well as the priests.
JT That is so, only the position in Ephesians is that we stand. The land is already taken, I apprehend. But, as already said, the failure of the assembly necessitates new conflict, and this goes on. Besides, each believer has to possess the inheritance himself, and this means conflict for him. The apostles left no feature of the inheritance in the hands of the enemy; all the strongholds were pulled down. The Ephesian saints had the light of this. Paul says, “I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God”, Acts 20:27. That implies that room had been made for it in their hearts and minds. The testimony of the counsel of God brought in what was positive, to replace what had been pulled down.
JM Was this specially the testimony of the twelve apostles, and so was passed on?
JT Yes; the testimony of the apostles, particularly of Paul. The inheritance is won. They took it, so to speak. They brought down every feature of the world, but in doing so they also brought in the mind of God — His counsels in Christ.
JM So the testimony is the maintenance of that at the present moment. That is what is left; but [p. 304] the point was to stand, taking the whole armour of God.
PL So that, like Adam, we are left in the inheritance to till it and keep it.
EH Was the conflict in Corinthians, to which you alluded, apostolic? “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal”, 2 Corinthians 10:4.
JT It was, but the “weapons” they used remain for us.
Rem . In Ephesians you have the armour; and it was handed down.
JT Yes, and you have the great aggressive weapon there too — “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”, Ephesians 6:17.
TMG I suppose it was to hold the heavenly ground.
JT Yes; that is how the apostle left things here; it is for us to hold that ground. We know well enough that the assembly did not long hold the heavenly ground; they quickly declined at Ephesus; first love was given up; then all that attaches to Christ is let go, or held loosely. You hold for Him because you love Him.
EM When Paul said to Timothy, “Hold fast the form of sound words”, 2 Timothy 1:13 that would cover the whole testimony.
Ques Had not each tribe, after the land was divided, to possess the land, or fight for it?
JT That is for you, and for me. But the inheritance was to be divided amongst them. Before that, however, the enemy had to be brought down; and so the Lord, through the apostles, did that, — He did it. It was by the word of the Lord. And then in Acts 20, that is the following chapter, you have the Lord’s supper; which refers to the mutual side. That is where the thing is divided, so to speak. But before you get that, the world has to be brought down, and the enemies have to be overcome; and [p. 305] that is why the power of the testimony is presented. In Acts 20 you have the Lord’s supper; and it is remarkable that you have a number of people from different places at Troas; and they all came together on the first day of the week to break bread. It was not a question of Paul being there. Chapter 19 had demonstrated the power that wrought in him, and now he can have the breaking of bread at Troas. It was the mutual thing now; there is room for it. The saints from these different localities had been affected, and there was evidence of it. But then, the Spirit of God says virtually, ‘Now, before you break bread, I want you to hear Paul’. He not only breaks down the world for you: he will unfold the love and thoughts of God for you, and the love of Christ.
Hence Paul discoursed a long time before they broke bread. I think that is how things were left. So Paul left the saints, in that way, in different places. The world is brought down for them, and the mutual side is set up in the Lord’s supper; but the Lord’s supper in the light of Paul’s ministry.
JM He left them in possession.
JT Yes, he was about to depart on the morrow.
TMG He had not shunned to declare unto them the whole counsel of God.
JT Yes, and that is what is left with us — the whole counsel of God.
JM That should exercise us very much; so that we might be in suitability to it, and maintain it.
JT I think the recovery of the Lord’s supper is made to fit into the light of Paul’s ministry, and therefore the truth of the assembly enters into it. It is a memorial of Christ; but it also implies the assembly.
Rem That is where the headship of Christ would come in.
JT Yes; the Lord’s supper gives the Lord [p. 306] His place among the saints. The testimony is maintained now in that way.
PL Why does the passover come in here, before Jericho was levelled with the ground?
JT The passover had its place in the wilderness, as we learn in Numbers 9, and it has its place as the people enter into Canaan. It seems to be a truth that applies right through — the judgment of the flesh, in the light of the death of Christ.
EM As well as redemption?
JT Yes; as in Ephesians: “In whom we have redemption through his blood”, Ephesians 1:14.
Ques What is suggested by the priests with the ram’s horns?
JT Horns, or blast trumpets, refer to the sounding out of the testimony. “From you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything”, 1 Thessalonians 1: 8. They received it as the word of the Lord first, and then from them that word sounded forth.
RB And in Ephesians 6, Paul asks for their prayers, that utterance might be given unto him, that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.
JT That is the idea in the blast trumpets.
PSP The Ark is seen here as passing round the city, and the seven priests blowing with the trumpets, the people shout, and the walls fall down. In Revelation 11 when the seventh angel sounded his trumpet “there were great voices in the heaven saying, The kingdom ... of our Lord and of his Christ is come, and he shall reign to the ages of ages”, Revelation 11:15. Then the Ark of the covenant is seen in the temple, and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail. It involves the overthrow of the whole system of things; and that is [p. 307] figured out here in Jericho. I was wondering if there would be any connection between the trumpets in Revelation, and the trumpets used here?
JT Those are woe trumpets in Revelation. These trumpets are for the bringing down of the world.
PSP Have not the saints in their souls the light of the overthrow of the world’s system, and consequently the testimony is rendered?
PL With regard to the mutual or family side of things, what is the position?
JT I think the thing is to divide the spoil. I mean on the mutual side we view each other more in the light of God.
Ques Would it be right to say we do not fight for possession?
JT There is really no need, since the apostles’ days. They brought down all the false teaching of the world, and they declared the whole counsel of God. But then, things have been let slip, and consequently there is conflict. When conflict arises, it is not simply a quarrel between brethren. There is an issue always. And the Lord allows the issue when He means to call attention to something. The Holy Spirit gives a measure of latitude, and you see certain things come out. So we take what comes out, and divide it together.
JM It would be the enjoyment of what Paul brought in, after conflict. The sharing in a mutual way of the affections of Christ, and the affections of the saints.
PL David established the principle of mutuality in regard to the sharing of the spoil.
JT He made it a law in Israel: “As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike”, 1 Samuel 30: 24.
AA Would it be right to say that while the enemy’s stronghold was brought down, there were still imaginations that lifted themselves up against God, and in a measure we have to fight against that?
JT “Having in a readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled”, 2 Corinthians 10: 5, 6. That is when the saints are subject. He is bringing us into subjection now. “When your obedience shall have been fulfilled”.
Rem The principles of the world have to be overthrown in our souls before we can appreciate Ephesians.
JT Yes; especially the books. People are fortified against the truth by the reading of books.
Ques With regard to the overthrow of Jericho; what do you think is signified by going round the city seven times?
JT Well, it is a new way. They did not act in this way in regard to the other cities which they took. It was a humiliating sort of thing for those men of war; because they had no use for their arms. It reminds us that we must not resort to ordinary methods in our testimony. Seven is a spiritual weapon; it is a spiritual number.
Ques The walls fell down, but did not they use the sword inside?
JT Yes; but the point, I think, is the new method; and they had to learn this at the outset. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. It must be used. But the Israelites were all impressed by this, that they were under new orders, and old methods were discarded.
EH “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds”, 2 Corinthians 10: 4.
PSP The fact of the armed men going first indicates that conflict is immediately in view.
JT And the bearers of the Ark follow. It all opens up a new kind of testimony. The people [p. 309] themselves shout; but they shout under direction; they are not to make any noise until then.
EM Would you say a little more about the shout?
JT I think it refers to the energy of life. “The shout of a king is among them”, Numbers 23: 21.
EM “God is indeed amongst you”, 1 Corinthians 14:25.
Ques Would you say that every intrusion of the human mind into the things of God is an endeavour to rebuild the walls?
JT Yes; philosophy and ritualism are strongholds.
Rem Would not the marching round the city so many times teach us that patience was necessary to the overthrow of this stronghold?
JT “The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds”, 2 Corinthians 12: 12. The work of God often takes time to develop.
PL Paul said to the elders from Ephesus that by the space of three years he ceased not to warn every one night and day, with tears; Acts 20: 31.