THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL (10)
[p. 464] THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL (10)
Joshua 7:13 - 18; 25,26, 18:1 - 10
JT In view of the brethren having an outline of what is before us, it may be remarked that specific reference is made to the two and one-half tribes in the earlier chapters; they are included in the twelve, as come up out of Jordan; then the twelve stones are set up in the bed of the Jordan, representing that the tribes had been there. Here in chapter 7, the tribes are referred to to show that all are involved as sin occurs and discipline is carried out; the tribes also appear in chapter 18 in relation to the division of the land. Later their love is tested in affording cities for the Levites; in this all the tribes are seen making provision for the Lord’s servants, the Levites. Another thing to be noted in this book, which may help us in our reading, is the three encampments — at Gilgal, Shiloh, and Shechem. The final allusion to the tribes is in the last chapter when Joshua summons them to Shechem and delivers his final charge before he dies; so that the subject in hand runs right through the book.
JS Referring to the sin of Achan, what would be the significance of it for us today, as coming in here?
JT I suppose it is to teach us how to maintain government against sin arising, for the position in Canaan is not heaven literally. Popular hymns and the like assume that heaven is represented literally by the land of Canaan, but it is rather the position of the saints as still outwardly in this world, but brought into the light of God’s purpose for them; having the Holy Spirit and taking up divine territory in faith, but with the possibility of sin working amongst them, so that this chapter shows how it [p. 465] is met.
FL That is according to Colossians and Ephesians.
JT Yes; contemplating our place in the land, and also the working of sin in us.
AFM Is there significance in the words of Jehovah to Joshua: “Israel hath sinned?” Although one man had sinned, all the tribes were involved.
JT It is to maintain the universal responsibility. The whole assembly is involved in any action of this kind. It has to be dealt with locally, according to the New Testament, not in independency, but as recognising the whole; wisdom leaves it with those who should know about it. This, however, supposes a priestly state in them. Decisions must be by the priests, as seen in Leviticus 14 and Deuteronomy 21. The general thought as to discipline is in Matthew 18:17, “tell it to the assembly”.
WGT Joshua lacked discernment, did he not?
JT Quite; but there seemed to be a state in the whole of Israel that God had to deal with because of the assumption that they could take Ai so easily. It showed that they were self-confident and not depending on God. In chapter 8, after the deep discipline of chapter 7, the ark is seen between Gerizim and Ebal, and all Israel with their elders and their officers and judges are on this side of it and on that. The ark is fully recognized — the only power for us here. No doubt the discipline led to this, although what is seen at the end of chapter 8 had been specifically commanded.
CB God cannot go on with us unless we judge sin.
JT Quite. Each meeting has to recognise this, what affects one affects all, so that all Israel stoned Achan with stones.
FL Do you think the tribe of Judah being selected by the enemy for his attack, was because it was the royal tribe? Christ is called, “the lion which is of the tribe of Juda”, (Revelation 5:5). If that [p. 466] tribe was overthrown the purpose of God would be interfered with.
JT It brings out the boldness of the enemy’s tactics. He does not work from behind here as he did in the Amalekites’ attack, but acts with great boldness in a frontal attack, so that the whole position of Israel should be affected. As in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, if the enemy had succeeded, the whole testimony in the assembly would have been discredited.
ANW What does the stoning action as coming before the burning signify?
JT It is to bring in the principle that everyone in the assembly has to do with the matter, for everyone can cast a stone.
JS Each one would have to judge himself, and then take part in the carrying out of the judgment.
JT When the adulterous woman was brought before the Lord, He said, “Let him that is without sin among you first cast the stone at her”, (John 8:7). I cannot cast a stone unless I judge the evil myself. This principle gives everyone in a gathering an opportunity to deal with any sin occurring in it.
JS The Lord brought the treachery of Judas home to each of the twelve: “One of you shall deliver me up”, (Matthew 26:21).
JT So that they searched themselves, “being exceedingly grieved”.
TH Those who have to do with discipline, as in a care-meeting, would gather all the information possible and present the result to the assembly.
JT Yes; administration belongs to the assembly. This principle of stoning is set out in the wilderness (Numbers 15). It is a standing principle enabling each in a meeting to have part in the judgment of any sin arising. The severity of the judgment here — stoning and burning — is God’s way of showing how He looks at sin occurring in the assembly. Burning is very [p. 467] drastic. There is nothing left of the evil, it is dealt with, root and branch.
AFM In this case Achan and his family bore the judgment, but in our case the Lord has borne it. The fire here would be in contrast to the lamb roast with fire; (Exodus 12).
JT The Lord bore the judgment of God as it never had been borne by anyone. He bore it as apprehending fully what it meant. But the valley of Achor is to become a door of hope for Israel, (Hosea 2), therefore the death of Christ as meeting the curse enters into this chapter.
CAM This sin had to do with the Babylonish system. What would you say as to it?
JT The Babylonish system is sustained by the gold and silver. It is really Babylon in the midst of the people of God. Babylon maintained in its external adornment is fully seen in Revelation.
CAM Would this sin come in in connection with the religious appearances in the world?
JT Yes; the garment represents what marks the system — whatever it may be. You can understand how Achan would soon appear in this garment as having means in the gold and silver to sustain it. Babylon is a system of pride and show with plenty of means to sustain it. What Rome has in the way of display is most striking.
CB But underneath all this is lust.
JT Quite; everything that is wicked is underneath. It is the great intent of the devil to disguise every possible evil by this external religious show.
ABP Would it be similar to “I am rich, and am grown rich, and have need of nothing”, (Revelation 3:17)?
JT Quite so; but the garment here goes further, it is distinctively Babylonish. Thyatira develops into Babylon.
ANW What about this man’s confession? Does it in any way change the [p. 468] situation?
JT Well; it might change it now; this would be a matter of priestly discernment today. The sin of Achan happened under law; under grace, of course, the assembly has the prerogative of forgiving as she has of retaining sins, so that today it would be question as to whether, if confessed, it could or could not be remitted.
JEH I was wondering whether, “And ye shall be brought near in the morning”, would support that thought. The exposure of his guilt was not made immediately. Achan had an opportunity of coming out and making a confession of his sin.
JT Quite. The allusion to the morning is suggestive; it is time given to weigh things over. In meeting Korah’s rebellion, Moses says, “To-morrow will Jehovah make known”. The staves of the tribes were laid up overnight, and “on the morrow” Aaron’s staff had brought forth almonds; (Numbers 17). God gives time for desired results.
WGT This sin brought dishonour on the testimony.
JT It brought about the defeat of Israel’s armies; not only was Achan involved, but there must have been a general state in Israel that needed to be discerned and judged.
RWS Sapphira was guilty with Ananias in the first sin relating to the assembly, but Peter discerned it. Why were the sons and daughters of Achan burned, did they share in their father’s guilt?
JT We have to so regard it. God saw the necessity for it. The stolen things were hidden in the tent and the family must have been aware of this. On the other hand, in the serious case of Korah, his sons were saved. God takes opportunity to show that He exercises mercy, but He did not here; nor was there any mercy for Ananias and Sapphira. Sapphira had three hours, in which to repent, after her husband’s death, even though she did not know what had happened to him. The point is as to whether I am spiritually sensitive enough to know how terrible the thing is that has happened. I should be sensitive about it; she was not. It is spiritual density when I do not feel things. Even Joshua did not know or feel that such wickedness as Achan’s existed in the camp. He fell upon his face, but the Lord says, “Rise up ... Israel hath sinned”. Why did he not know? His sensibilities could not then have been keen.
AP-f Is there not a difference between voluntary confession and confession brought about by God bringing the sin to light?
JT It is for us to discern whether it is the work of God or mere natural remorse like that which marked Judas. There is no moral value in that or in the tears of Esau; whereas David’s contrition was real.
ANW God would justify Himself in judging Achan’s family and sparing Korah’s.
GMcP John says “There is a sin to death”, and “there is a sin not unto death”, (1 John 5:16,17).
JT Exactly; we have to discern these cases.
WB-w Every case of sin has to be examined and dealt with separately. Each case is different. Pharaoh sinned several times and repented, nominally, but never repented in his heart; but when David confessed his sin there was a reality to it and it brought forgiveness.
JT On the other hand, the Lord says, that forgiveness is to be “until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22); it is to be unlimited in extent from the side of one sinned against. But, of course, this does not set aside the necessity for genuineness in repentance; otherwise a forgiven one would not forgive another as the Lord’s parable which follows shows.
WB-w In David’s case, why did not the child live? David confessed his sin, but there was the penalty nevertheless; the child died.
JT It was the working out of the government of God. David’s child was not the only one that died in relation to David’s guilt, for Urijah had died. Absalom slew his brother and paid the penalty, for he died. On that same line the female speaker in the Song of Songs 1:5 says, “I am black, but comely”. Why was she black? Because the sun had looked on her. The government of God is one thing, and the knowledge of forgiveness through repentance towards God another. The government of God as to a sin may go on to the end of our journey.
TH When the child died David arose and anointed himself; why was that?
JT It was the end of an exercise. He arose from the earth, washed and anointed himself; changed his clothing, and went into the house of God and worshipped. That is important. The sword, however, never departed from his house, but David himself was set free before God. With Achan the judgment of God was final. Thus we learn that each case of discipline has its own characteristics.
JS Do we see the wisdom of the ways of God in allowing the breakdown of Israel with a view to their being thoroughly self-judged before taking possession of the land?
JT Exactly. They should have gone to Gerizim and Ebal as soon as they entered the land and asserted the curses and the blessings — the land was to be held on the ground of obedience, which this action of Achan violated most inexcusably. In the next chapter they go to these mountains and do as Moses had commanded.
JS Is it in order that Christ might have His rightful place?
JT Yes; He did not have His rightful place [p. 471] with Achan and his family, but in chapter 8, “All Israel, and their elders, and their officers and judges, stood on this side and on that side of the ark” (verse 33).
APT “A little leaven leavens the whole lump”, (1 Corinthians 5:6); the evil permeated the whole assembly, and had thus to be judged.
WB-w Unless conditions of evil in the assembly are dealt with, do they not gain ground?
JT That has to be learned; we may carry on our meetings, but God will not be with us until sin amongst us is dealt with.
WGT A sin like this means the examination of everyone? The whole family in this case had to come forward.
JT That is what we see in the verses read, “Hallow yourselves for to-morrow”, that gives time, “Rise up, hallow the people, and say, Hallow yourselves for to-morrow; for thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, Israel”. The night preceding the morrow is a particular point here. It is a time of weighing things over, “Even in the nights my reins instruct me” (Psalm 16:7); which means the inner workings of the soul as knowing God. “Man’s spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly”, (Proverbs 20:27). That is what goes on with the spiritual in the night season.
WGT We arrive at God’s mind by the process of elimination?
JT Romans 7 teaches us to examine ourselves inwardly, so as to reach deliverance.
WB-w Was the accursed thing in the heart of Achan, or in the gold, silver, and the garment he took?
JT It was his state; he coveted what was Babylonish. The history of modern Babylon explains all this, and has to be understood by us. How drastically God deals with it here in Achan! It is beyond man’s power or the assembly’s power to deal with Babylon now. We read, “in one hour thy judgment is come”, (Revelation 18:10). Such will be the swift judgment of God; although He will use instrumentalities on earth, such as the beast and the ten kings, to accomplish this.
FL Babylon is the greatest system of evil and it runs through from Genesis to Revelation.
JT It runs through Scripture, and we can understand, looking back to this event, what God had in His mind. He sees the end from the beginning and deals with the roots. But generally this is an outstanding testimony to the people of God that He will not be with them save as they judge evil arising in their midst.
CAM Weakness in a locality might be traced to one man among the people of God seeking a place in the world of appearances. That would be something like Achan coveting the Babylonish garment; but deliverance comes by the locating of it, and dealing with it even though the process is a very painful one.
JT The exercise must be gone through. David had not come to the end of it until the child died, then he arose and anointed himself and went into the house of God.
FHL There is great encouragement when a company recognises its weakness and has power to deal with the cause of it.
JT Hallowing is important here; the saints have to see that this matter involves the holiness of God. What is in view is how are we able to deal with this “accursed thing”? God gives us the whole night to prepare, so that the thing is dealt with according to Himself.
JS God is helping Israel here.
JT Quite so. He is telling them what to do and they carry out the order He gives, and the end is reached.
APT The disciples were ignorant of what was in Judas’s heart. The scriptures indicate that they did not know he was going to betray the Lord. They thought the Lord was giving him directions as to the poor. They did not discern that he was the traitor.
JT The Lord had indicated earlier that something seriously wrong existed among the disciples: “Have not I chosen you the twelve? and of you one is a devil”, (John 6:70). One of the twelve a devil? If Peter discerned that Christ was “the holy one of God”, then it was for him to see who the devil was as one of them. It was not a question of a demon but that Judas himself was a devil. Evidently Peter and the others went on, without discerning Judas as a devil, yet as such he was there.
WGT Judas was a likeable man, for the Lord spoke of him as “mine own familiar friend, in whom I confided”, (Psalm 41:9).
JT Quite; if one were in need, he would help him no doubt, for he carried the bag. I suppose he had ability to hide his real self.
HE Would you say that the process of elimination was experienced when they said, “Is it I?”
JT That is the point; thus you discern if there is anything of the devil in your heart. The Lord intended that the eleven should get help through the wicked state of Judas, why then did they not discern him? The Lord might have told them that Judas was a devil, but it was for them to find out. He showed plainly that the evil was there, but left it for them to locate it, which became a test to them.
JS The Lord told John, according to John’s gospel.
JT He did as enquiry was made. It was just as Judas was about to leave them. But why was enquiry not made earlier?
ABP The Lord in speaking to the seven assemblies in Revelation said, “I know”. Would that be to assure us that He knows what is going [p. 474] on?
JT Quite so; and He tells them what is wrong in each case. It was for each of them to find out what He meant and judge the evil.
TH He says in Revelation 18:20, “Rejoice over her, heaven, and ye saints and apostles and prophets”.
JT We are in remnant times today; the ability to deal with the public body has gone beyond our reach. God alone can deal with it; but He looks for us to be with Him in it. He has His judgment as to it, but He executes wrath on it according to the judgment of the saints. “God has judged your judgment upon her”, (Revelation 18:20).
JTJr The evil here is hidden in the earth in the tent. We get the thought of what is hidden very often in a good connection, but here it is in a bad sense, the hiding of something that permeated the whole assembly to bring about the destruction of it.
JT Quite; it was well hidden. This shows how Babylonish principles took root in the church. Achan said of the things he had taken, “they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent”.
NFP Paul writes to the Corinthians about the sin in their midst.
JT Yes, and upbraids them that they were not humbled because of it; instead of this they were puffed up.
HSD That the garment was hidden in the tent shows that the domestic circle is contemplated.
JT Quite. Idolatry is in view. Rachel hid the teraphim in her tent. How secretive such people are!
Ques What had you in mind in connection with “as they were eating”, (Matthew 26:26)?
JT Well, the Lord gives opportunity to judge oneself. There is more likelihood of our doing so when eating, in a spiritual sense, than when we are hungry. The eating of food gives leverage in the soul.
FL Silver and gold in themselves, viewed [p. 475] according to type, were good things, suggesting redemption and righteousness. So that what we are confronted with often takes on the appearance of what is good.
JT Quite so. Babylon has things that are good in themselves but are in relation to an evil system. Here the metals are connected with the Babylonish garment.
AFM Would you help us as to the evil coming to light? It speaks of a tribe being taken, and families, and then a family. How would that bear on discernment, or the discovering of evil today?
JT I suppose it is suggestive of the help we get from God now in locating sin. If we feel that there are things that are not right they will not long be hidden if we are with God. The next thing is to investigate, and the Lord helps us. Righteous discipline will result.
WB-w The valley of Achor becomes a door of hope. Would that refer to Christ?
JT Hosea takes it up. Hosea has a great way of bringing in victory where defeat was. Where Israel were called “not my people”, they shall be called “Sons of the living God”. Where there was curse and defeat as in the valley of Achor, there is victory, it becomes a door of hope; (Hosea 2:15).
APT Verse 16 would indicate that the assembly, typically, is now beginning to function, and later, moral weight is seen in Joshua speaking to Achan, urging him to glorify Jehovah in making confession.
JT It says, “And Joshua rose early in the morning”, that is a good example: you wish to have your senses clear in dealing with such a solemn matter, and you have the whole day before you. Then Joshua “caused Israel to come forward by their tribes” — the thing is done in an orderly, careful way. There is moral power with Joshua in what he is doing. It says, “the tribe of Judah was taken.
[p. 476] And he caused the families of Judah to come forward ... and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken”. They are not left with any doubt as to who it is. In Joshua’s word, “Come forward”, there is moral power.
ARS What is the significance of the tribes thus brought forward? God could have brought the sin to light without their having to go through all this searching.
JT It is to bring everyone into it. As the tribes are coming forward everyone is concerned, and so the needful process of self-judgment goes on.
WGT Judgment belongs to the assembly. Is that a point to be stressed?
JT Quite; so that all Israel stoned him with stones. In a moral sense they could not stone him unless they had judged themselves. Everyone that threw a stone had judged the thing.
GMcP Is it the same idea in Revelation 2 and 3? The Lord speaks to the angel of the assembly, and then to those that have ears to hear.
JT Quite. The assembly is addressed in each case, and every one in it is responsible for what may be wrong.
ANW Say a word as to what the tribe of Judah being “taken” would mean for us today as indicated in this chapter.
JT I think it is the putting of any matter into the hands of the Lord. “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole decision is of Jehovah”, (Proverbs 16:33). He gives guidance, and never fails us. In Matthew 18:19,20, it is, “if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens. For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them”. The latter thought is in chapter 8 [p. 477] of Joshua — the ark is in the midst of them. We recognise the antitype of the ark knowing He never fails us. “Ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ”, the apostle says; (1 Corinthians 5:4)?
JS What would the heap of stones set forth?
JT I suppose it is an abiding testimony commonly seen in the Old Testament. In the last chapter of this book you have one stone set up as a witness. With us things are held in our minds by the Spirit as witness of what God does amongst us; you may find yourself referring back to occurrences where God signally helped, and find comfort and assurance. A memorial like this would recall special help from God against, and overcoming, some great effort of Satan.
AFM “And they raised over him a great heap of stones, which is there to this day”. It would be conspicuous and would remain.
JT A testimony is thus carried forward that sin must be judged amongst the people of God.
FL The heap of stones would show the action of the assembly; whereas a monument would more recall the act of an individual. God would value the stones as representing those who had judged themselves and acted together for Him.
JT This was an assembly action. Each one could say, ‘I had part in it!’ God would value every one of the stones.
JT Quite. As you look back to a crisis of twenty years ago you may wholesomely inquire, ‘What was my part in it?’ There is a tendency in local difficulties for sides to be taken, showing that the principle involved is not discerned.
JT That was the situation at Corinth, but all were brought to judge the evil here.
FHL Why is the silver brought in here?
JT The gold and silver would denote means of [p. 478] supporting the false principle. The garment is the false principle. We must support a principle if we adopt it. Very often the support is by natural ability. Many who turn aside say, ‘Look how we are being blessed!’ and yet the false step or principle has never been judged.
WB-w It is called “a beautiful mantle of Shinar”. It would be very attractive.
JT This Babylonish feature goes right through from Genesis to Revelation. Babel began at Shinar. The coveted garment represents this, and the gold and silver is to support it. In verse 1 of the next chapter there is an encouraging word, “Fear not, neither be dismayed”. In this respect there is an incentive to deal with evil, for we thus come to realise the power of God: “Fear not, neither be dismayed. Take with thee all the people of war, and arise, go up to Ai”.
WFK Does Joshua typify Christ as Mediator here?
JT In this instance he is more the responsible one among us. God says to him, “Arise, go up to Ai”. When he is acting for God he represents Christ.
AFM Will you make a few general remarks about chapter 18?
JT The inheritance is a great subject in this book. It is Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes here, who allotted the inheritance to Israel; (chapter 14). The two and one-half tribes are noted first as receiving their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. They failed to value the full divine thought. God would say to us, ‘I have something much better for you’, but we are content to take low ground. Moses accedes to their wish; they represent one side of this subject; that is, the inheritance that the Lord, as it were, is forced to give us. He has something much better for us than we are satisfied with, but He [p. 479] accedes to our wish. These two and one-half tribes have full status in the land nevertheless. When the Lord comes for us He will not leave one believer behind.
The next thing is the tribes that have distinguished themselves, spiritually. You will notice that so far we are at Gilgal, not yet at Shiloh, which is a question of individual distinction. We may see in any movement of God that He brings forward certain men and they acquire distinction by their spiritual power and prowess. That is exemplified in Judah and Joseph. No doubt the half tribe of Manasseh was rewarded in that they pulled away from the other half of the tribe, and so did violence to natural feelings. They preferred to be with their brethren on the higher ground of Canaan that God gives us. That is how the matter stands up to chapters 15, 16 and 17; that is to say, you have great leading tribes brought forward, as representing those who are distinguished spiritually among the people of God. God honours such and gives them their inheritance before Shiloh, or the house of God, comes into view.
But there are still seven tribes to be considered. Why did they not get their inheritance? It is because of lack of spiritual energy, so that more than half the people had no inheritance. Judah wanted the inheritance — Caleb, representing that tribe, claims it. Then the daughters of Zelophehad, representing Joseph, claim their inheritance. God values those who come forward and say, ‘I want the very best’. He honours that desire and gives it to you openly without any appeal to the saints. Then in chapter 18 we may get our inheritance in relation to the tent of meeting at Shiloh. The judgment of the saints enters into this. There are a lot of brethren that have no personal distinction. Why is this? It is because of a lack of energy. Opportunity for spiritual wealth and distinction are there, then why am I so slow in [p. 480] embracing it? Why should my tribe be one of seven out of the twelve tribes that have no inheritance? That is how matters stood according to chapter 18.
WGT Judah and Joseph would be in fixed positions, one northerly and the other on the south.
JT Quite. There are a lot of saints among us that have no personal distinction or spiritual initiative, and so their inheritances are given to them through the brethren. Three men for each tribe divided the remaining territory, and wrote the divisions made in a book. This would mean that these territories were not held in the minds of the saints; but Caleb had held his in mind for forty years!
ANW Are you challenging us individually or locally?
JT Well, generally. Why has my inheritance to be written down? There were many famous people in Israel; both men and women who distinguished themselves. Others got their positions apart from any energy in themselves to lay hold of it. So today with regard to a brother, I might go to the brethren in his locality and ask whether he is moving spiritually, whereas, with others I can see they are going forward in spiritual energy. God has a place in the assembly for each one according to His counsel, why then should we not have that place?
GMcP Would 2 Corinthians be helpful as showing that we are to be an epistle of Christ known and read of all men?
JT Just so; the writing corresponds with our setting in the assembly.
HSD David’s mighty men distinguished themselves.
JT Gilgal is a place of distinguishment spiritually, for two tribes, Judah and Joseph, got their inheritance while encamped there. Gilgal is not a question primarily of God indicating His mind [p. 481] through the assembly, but how I judge myself and see myself in those stones; a type of my being risen with Christ and having a heavenly portion. When I come to Shiloh there is another set of circumstances — the tabernacle is in view, and more than half the people are seen as having proved themselves slack in taking their inheritance; and now the determination of the lot of each is through the saints, that is, three of a tribe making a survey and writing all in a book — God indicating His mind in this way.
WB-w Chapter 18 means that God has a portion for everyone.
JT Yes, and He is displeased that they are letting it lapse.
ANW There is quite enough for each one, and he is to shine according to his own distinction as under God.
FL As to natural ambition, “whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant”, (Matthew 20:26). That is not contemplated here, but is to be condemned.
JT Quite so. What is in mind is that we are to know and value what God has given each of us according to the counsel of His love.
Ques Would you say a word about Shechem; chapter 24?
JT It is another position, God moving on according to the exigencies of the testimony. He has not yet come to Jerusalem but He will do so. Chapter 24 contemplates the death of Joshua, and Israel is put under obligation to serve Jehovah when their great leader is no longer with them. This corresponds with our position in relation to the Lord’s supper. Another thing entering into chapter 18 is that when my allotment is given I may have to share it with another brother. The question then arises, can I get on with that brother? That is a testing position. We see hero that Simeon fits in with Judah.
JEH If we are heavenly minded [p. 482] we will not have any difficulty in fitting in with a brother, will we?
JT Quite. Simeon fitted in with Judah, who is a Gilgal man. Then, in this chapter we find Benjamin fitted in between Judah and Ephraim. Benjamin was a “little one” like Paul. He was one that would take a lower place as between those two brothers.
TH Paul was heavenly minded.
JT He was “less than the least of all saints”, (Ephesians 3:8). How well he got on with them! He did not clash. “Little Benjamin” became “their ruler”, according to Psalm 68. It is worth while to be little.
ABP Do not the saints help you to be small? We have often heard that Paul was let down “by the disciples” in a basket. (Acts 9:25)
JT Quite so.
AP Sometimes there is a dangerous element in a meeting, like that of the mother of James and John, who wanted them to be in a position greater than that of others.
JT It is dangerous indeed; it caused a cleavage among the disciples. The Lord met it by challenging them as to His death and by what He was as ministering to need in this world.