EVIDENCES OF THE LORD'S COMING
EVIDENCES OF THE LORD’S COMING
1 Peter 1:17; Malachi 3:16 - 18; Malachi 4
In reading these verses I am thinking of the coming of the Lord and of the features in His people that portend it, for it is in the saints that we must look for the evidences of its nearness. There are doubtless collateral happenings in the world which may be taken account of, but no evidences are as reliable as those to be discerned in the saints; indeed, all others are to be regarded in a very secondary way. We should expect if the Lord is about to come that there will be some inklings of it directly in those whom He loves, and particularly in those who, as having and keeping His commandments, show that they love Him; they are those in the place of friendship, and the Lord will not withhold what indications may be seemly. He must be the judge, as one has remarked elsewhere. It is as if a man of note and of large holdings were away from home and his return is left designedly uncertain; it is obvious that the inner circle, or family, will have whatever inklings there are of his return; it is not likely that occurrences on the farm or among the servants would be the first; the indications are obviously to be found in the inner circle.
And so certain features have arisen that are unmistakable in this circle of those who, as loving the Lord, keep His commandments and keep His word; and one of these is fear, for keeping His word is sure to be accompanied by fear. I have selected these passages, therefore, as stressing the idea of the fear of the Lord. It is fitting that we should find the exhortation I read in Peter, for he was one who had come peculiarly under the discipline of God from various causes, which occasioned the fear of God; for however conscious we may be of our love to the [p. 331] Lord, of our loyalty, there is at all times, as being still in the wilderness, occasion to fear.
Peter is peculiarly fitted to enjoin upon us to fear. He was one of the loved ones of Christ — peculiarly so. He represents those who, as loved of the Lord, are rebuked of the Lord, and disciplined of the Lord; hence the need of fearing, as is said elsewhere, “Lest thou also be tempted”. Galatians 6:1. And so he says, “And if ye invoke as Father him who, without regard of persons, judges according to the work of each, pass your time of sojourn in fear”, 1 Peter 1:17 that is to say, we are from this point of view in the sphere, as down here, of the government of God.
The government of God always subserves the love of God. Everything that is in God’s hand must subserve His love, for that is what He is. We must not therefore fear the government of God. It is in our favour. And so it is that Peter brings in this injunction that we are to pass the time of our sojourning in fear — this temporary period, whilst in the full light of the Father, God revealed in grace, and invoking Him in the sense of our sonship. It may seem as if it militates against what John teaches, the disciple whom Jesus loved, who says, “fear hath torment” 1 John 4:18, and that perfect love casts it out. But he is not dealing with the government of God or with what God is entitled to in your daily routine in this world; he is dealing with that slavish fear which is the opposite of the knowledge of God in our souls, of the knowledge of the Father, for He has not given us a spirit of bondage again for fear, but a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. And so, as Peter says, we invoke Him as Father, but in doing that you enter on the sphere of the government of God in everyday life, in the ordinary routine in which we are touching the world to which His government applies, and we are to pass the time of our sojourning there in fear.
[p. 332] The government of God, is a very real thing and might be treated of extensively, but I allude to one thing, that is, the history of the assembly, what has come to publicly as about to bring down the severest judgments of God. The book of Revelation, and other parts of Scripture, teach us in the plainest manner what is coming in, and we cannot escape feeling this, but it will not overtake us, for we are to be kept out of it, according to the Lord’s promise those who love Him: “I also will keep thee”, He says, “out of the hour of trial”, Revelation 3:10. But we are still in the conditions, outwardly, to which that applies, and from that point of view this subject of fear has a great place, especially as our Lord Himself sets us an example as coming in in exactly the same dispensational condition. He felt what was coming in on the favoured nation. We read of “strong crying and tears” Hebrews 5:7, that is, at Gethsemane; in a special way, as facing the cross, the Lord felt what was coming; He entered into it as no one else could, and cried to Him who was able to save Him. What holy fear marked those moments! And we are told that He was heard because of that — in that He feared; showing us how important this matter is, that we should rightly gauge what has come about in that in which we are publicly, because we are in it publicly. Whatever we may be privately, to which I need not refer, our position corresponds with His, and it is said that He was heard in that He feared. What a holy example, beloved brethren! And as one looks abroad today and considers how things are in the history of the assembly, it is of the very last importance that we should fear — fear God.
Joseph as a peculiar type of Christ, in the beginning of his dealings with his brethren, said, “I fear God” Genesis 42:18 and so our Lord had this in view. Whilst infinitely apart from the thing and infinitely immune from all the consequences of it personally, yet as entering into [p. 333] death, in which He should bear all the consequences sacrificially, He feared God, and He was heard because of His piety. In this He is the Leader for us; He is our great exemplar in all things, but in this of which I am speaking He leads the way.
In these passages in Malachi we have the time of the remnant period in which this thing began to take effect: “Then”, we read, that is to, say, the Spirit calls attention to the time, and what began to show itself in the remnant. Men were saying hard things of God. It is vain to serve God, they said. “Then they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another”. It is a mark, you see, of the end, a sure sign that a change is coming about. You see, beloved brethren, how the features of the last days began to show themselves, not in an open intervention of God, but in a secret intervention, manifest in those in whom He wrought, for it was not a product of the flesh, I may say. The ministry of earlier days was being laid hold of — the book of Proverbs. In that book we are told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Some of you may have noticed that whilst we have that thought frequently in Proverbs, in chapter 9 it may be rendered, “The fear of the Lord is the principle of wisdom”. Proverbs 9:10. It may not have occurred to you that the fear of the Lord is so valuable an element. In fact it may not have come into your mind in this way as being a feature that marked Christ, and is enjoined upon those of us who are in the nearest place of privilege, upon those who invoke God as Father, so that it is a matter of immense gain, an asset in our experience. The very principle of wisdom is involved, And so these dear people coming in at the end of the old dispensation were undoubtedly gaining through the ministry of earlier days — that the fear of the Lord, was a profitable thing, It is the principle, really of wisdom; and in their speaking together can we doubt that wisdom would take form and [p. 334] develop amongst them so that they knew more than all their teachers! Take, for instance, Mary and Elisabeth in the beginning of Luke’s gospel, also Zacharias, and Simeon, and Anna; were you to have listened to their conversation you would find how they had profited by earlier instruction, and how their speaking together would be marked, not by the small-talk of this world, nor by the current events of this world, but by wisdom, the wisdom of God. And so it is said here that the Lord hearkened and heard. How much is current in our conversation that would be of no interest to Him, but that would rather nauseate His ear — conversation not marked by the fear of the Lord. Current politics and the like, happenings of the world are of no moral value whatever, but the opposite, whereas the point here is, “they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed it and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah and that thought upon his name”.
Now I would come to this particular passage, because it calls attention to the time “then”. We are noting time, marking an era that portends something else. This takes place in the people of God, in those who fear Him — they speak often one to another. Thank God, it is not foreign to us, so that we may have some confidence in it as a sign, as an indication of the end being near! How delightful are those who are marked thus to God! There is thus present enjoyment afforded to Him.
At the end of Luke we also have a beautiful instance of it, as marking the beginning of the present dispensation. We are told that the saints were saying certain things to one another. On the day of the resurrection, not only are we told that they were speaking to one another as gathered, but the Holy Spirit tells us what they were saying. They were saying that the Lord had risen indeed and had appeared to Simon;
[p. 335] and then the two from Emmaus were speaking about the breaking of bread and how He had been manifested to them. “And as they were saying these things, he himself stood in their midst”. Luke 24:36. That only confirms what we have here, the delight that there is in those who are speaking one to another in the fear of God.
I do not enlarge on the passage in Malachi, so well-known and familiar to us, but it is very suggestive in regard of what I am saying, as marking a certain time, “Then”; and how the saints thus marked are regarded, what they are to God. Think of being pleasurable to the Lord, dear young people, in talking one to another, as fearing Him; of being a peculiar treasure unto Him, so that He spares us as a man spares his own son that serves him — for it is a service! Much enters into it in regard of ourselves, I need not say, that is not noted here, but what is noted here is the delight that God has in those who serve Him thus.
And He says, “Ye shall return”. That is another thing. That is a movement, as you will observe. “And ye shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not”. The element of discernment in regard of those who serve is an important matter just now, and at all times, in order that we may be sure as to those who serve God, and as to those who serve Him not. It is a matter of discernment!
Now I want to come to chapter 4, where the question of fear is again taken up: “And unto you”. In chapter 3 they are spoken about in the third person, but in verse 18 we have, “Ye shall return”. There you are being directly addressed. There is ability to discern between him that serves God and him that serves Him not, between the righteous and the wicked, for we cannot hope to get through save as we have this discernment. It is a very great advantage to be [p. 336] able to discern, and it arises from the habitual use of the senses, as we read, “Who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” Hebrews 5:14 — a most important thing.
Then in chapter 4:2 there is a direct word to those who fear, as if God would continue this blessed state of things by hope, for hope is a great matter in the elements that make up our sustainment here. “Unto you”, He says, “that fear my name”. They had already shown it in speaking one to another, and now there is that which inspires hope. I am speaking only of the principle here! not in a dispensational way, although it refers to the Jew primarily, but it is to inspire hope — an immense thing as we consider what we have to deal with in the exercise of our discernment, of what we discern to be wicked, and of those whom we discern as not serving God. The time is coming when they shall be dealt with; that we get in verse 1. But there is what appeals to us, the grace of the Sun of righteousness arising with healing in His wings, that is to say, we have compassion. We are thinking of what is needed here, and we think of it being brought in in the Sun of righteousness arising to us. It is to us: “unto you that fear my name”, to those who feel such a thing as that. The time is coming when all that which calls forth our deepest sympathy and feeling shall be met in a public way.
And then as regards ourselves, “And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall”. All this is anticipative, but it should have a certain answer at the present time. Going forth as calves of the stall means being well fed. We are not to be of the ‘lean’ kind, but, as those who are well fed go forth, recognising the plenteousness that there is, for there is plenty.
And then it is of all moment to remember the commandment which He commanded at Horeb. In the light of the coming of the Lord there is the suggestion that not one thought of God given in testimony [p. 337] here is to be given up; it is to be held intelligently and in our affections as loving Him. “Remember ye”, He says, “the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel”. We thus see how God will build up in the remnant something that corresponds with first days, as He says, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him”; “I ... .. taught Ephraim to walk”, Hosea 11:1,3. They were delightful to God. And then, “The law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded him at Horeb” — not at Sinai. It is a question of the covenant, that is, of His grace. The covenant was, at least typically, the outcome of His love for them; it was the very best thing they could have, “the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob”, Deuteronomy 33:4. That is actually how true Israelites looked at it; it was not a burden hard to be borne. And so a remnant values it thus, and as first principles are cherished now we answer to the very best features of the assembly; It is a question of quality, not quantity now, and that quality will be seen in the remembrance of the law of Moses, which God commanded him at Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgments.
What a wonderful field is opened up to us now, to come into what was the mind of God at the beginning, nothing less than that, and the cherishing of every word of His mouth and of His love!
And then, as if to confirm all this, and consolidate it with us, He gives us a special ministry. Now mark you, I am speaking of the features of the remnant as portending the nearness of the coming of the Lord. These are all cumulative, and find expression in those who love God; not only those who know God’s love, but who love God. And so He says, “I will send you Elijah the prophet” — a well-known prophet; that is to say, you have a special ministry, not exactly such a ministry as marked him at the outset. This part of his ministry is to indicate something, it is to come [p. 338] in at the very end. It will be an indication to the godly Jew dispensationally, but I am not speaking of that, I am speaking of what corresponds with it now, and that is a special ministry. It is to come in as marking the very end. The prophet Elijah — what will he do? “He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers”.
Now that is a remarkable ministry, for if you go into a man’s house who is remiss as to his family, it needs great moral power to correct him, because he might very pertinently say to you, ‘It is not your business’. And it will appear it is not your business unless you have the very great moral power that marked Elijah! It is not a question of officialism, but of moral weight. How can I affect a man regarding his children if I have not moral weight? And so great will be Elijah’s influence that he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers.
Abroad, I need not say to you, the family is being disrupted. Not only in the East, where it has always been so, owing to marriage customs and laws, but in the West it is being disrupted in the grossest manner. And so among the people of God there may be cleavage between the fathers and the children spiritually; hence the necessity for such a ministry as this. And God gives it that is, a ministry marked by moral power. It is not only a matter of light, but of moral power, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. There is a unity between them, an affiliation, oneness of thought in the hearts of the children and in those of the fathers; otherwise there is cleavage between the elder and the younger. You can never have the testimony worked out and maintained unless the older and the younger have their hearts turned to each other. It is a hard matter to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the [p. 339] children to their fathers. That is a ministry that God would grant us, an essential ministry; for He says, “Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse”; that is, I apprehend, sterility, unfruitfulness. Hence this ministry, as I said, is most essential; God would lay upon us that the ministry of the prophet Elijah should not be absent in any locality, or in a general way, a ministry marked by such moral power that it actually turns the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, so that both are available to the Lord. This ministry brings about a state of things that the Lord can use, that in which He can work out assembly principles. As one has often remarked about the ass and the colt, the Lord rode into Jerusalem on both, He recognised both the older and the younger. He rode in that way according to Matthew, and so He would now.
Well, that is what I had in mind, dear brethren. It all works out through fear, the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom.
Pages 340 -415 — “Finality Reached in Christ”. Readings and Addresses. Great Britain, 1929 (Volume 99).