DIVINE COMMENDATION
[p. 516] DIVINE COMMENDATION
2 Corinthians 10: 18; Acts 9: 10 - 17; Numbers 12: 5 - 9; Genesis 20: 7
I am thinking, dear brethren, of divine commendation, a subject that might not be familiar as set out in the form of an address, but familiar enough otherwise to us, for we shall all bear in mind the remarkable statement in Romans 5: “God commends his love to us”. The fact that He deigns to commend His love to us encourages us to look for other commendations or subjects of commendation by God. For His love, as expressed, should need no commendation; it is its own commendation. Every movement of it carries commendation with it, and when I say every movement of God’s love, I have to begin with Genesis 3, and even before, for it was His love that prompted Him to create. It moved “In the beginning”, it took a very touching form in Genesis 3, when God began to provide for sinful persons. The light began to shine, not yet in Jesus incarnate, but reflectively it was that same light: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men”, John 1: 4. That was shown anticipatively in the divine service of making clothes: every stitch, as it were, every bit of work put into those clothes denoting the love of God.
We can see this now, and so the Lord Jesus as here, says, “My Father worketh hitherto” (John 5: 17), meaning that He worked from the time that sin came in; and “I work”, not that the Father had ceased to work, but that the Son as here was working before men’s eyes. All that was love, but then love has to be learnt, not in half or partial measures, but in whole measure, so that John says, “Hereby we have known love, because he has laid down his life for us”, 1 John 3: 16. That is the full testimony of love which the Holy Spirit makes good in our hearts. At times He has to write of love [p. 517] abstractly, as in 1 Corinthians 13, but He puts it into our hearts. That is where it is intended to be. Our hearts are intended to contain the love of God; the Holy Spirit puts it there, and as His love is in our hearts, then there is love for Him. So Romans 5 is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and Romans 8 is that we love God. “All things work together for good to them that love God”, Romans 8: 28. There are such. God never contemplates a time when He has not His lovers in this world, and those who are not lovers of God are to be pitied. “All things work together for good to them that love God” — they can never be defeated. It might seem at times that their aspirations are not fulfilled, but in result, those who love God are never defeated, nor is any legitimate desire of theirs in result unfulfilled. Those who love Him keep His commandments characteristically, and “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly”, Psalm 84: 11.
I am purposing to speak about commendation, and the verse in 2 Corinthians 10 is a solemn one, reminding us that self-commendation spells defeat. No one is ever approved of God who commends himself. “For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends” — a very solemn and yet needed warning, dear brethren, for we do not want to be at the terrible disadvantage of being disapproved! The approved are those whom the Lord commendeth, and I would show in the course of my remarks how He does this, and in what connections He does it. I cannot, of course, go over the whole ground, because it is a somewhat extensive subject, but I have selected three examples.
First, divine commendation of a young believer, a young convert; there are those here under that head, no doubt: not perhaps so very young as to days, months, and years, but young in growth, or in whom growth [p. 518] has been somewhat slow — and for any such the brethren are rightly concerned.
Heaven will always make the most of us, even though this be the case; it will not fail to call attention to what little growth there may be. Although the Father is keen and intent, as the Lord says, to take away the things that are hindering growth, yet He never fails to notice the growth, however little. He is the husbandman, as the Lord says, and is keen on any little growth there may be, but He also would remove what hinders growth. So anyone who is in any way stunted, needs every bit of encouragement possible, and no encouragement is greater than divine encouragement. God will not fail to make the most of what there is; but if He does, it is not to induce or encourage laziness, but rather to give leverage by encouragement so that the laziness may give place to energy, and there may be more rapid progress.
I have selected this instance in Acts 9 because it speaks of one just converted — Saul. We have all had this experience if we are believers. He may have outrun all of us, but he is at least one who has had a day’s experience as a young convert, and he would never fail in after years to get down alongside of any other such, and give him to understand that he had been there. In fact he is so simple about things that he speaks about certain ones “who were also in Christ before me”, Romans 16: 7. They were not apostles, but they had that advantage over him, and he could never outgrow it. There were many in Christ before Paul, though not before Peter, for I suppose he was one of the first to take up his relation with Christ, only Andrew and another disciple being before him. Not that he could have been “in Christ” until Christ died and rose again, but I mean in the principle of it. The whole hundred and twenty, and more no doubt, came into the position of “in Christ” when the Holy Spirit came down. There was a sort of unifying principle there, they all came [p. 519] into it together at Pentecost, but, on the other hand, there were those who had priority because they had been disciples from the outset. Luke speaks of persons who from the outset were “eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word”. Luke did not assume that place, but he obtained his information from such. At Pentecost they were all together in one place, and the Holy Spirit came in and they were all baptised on that same day by the Holy Spirit.
Now Saul in Acts 9 is a young convert, and the Lord is giving him every possible advantage that there is among the brethren. If there is any young person wishing to place himself among the brethren, the Lord is waiting to give you every possible advantage. If you were to go up to heaven with Him today, He would make the most of you, but it may be the brethren here are not ready to make the most of you, perhaps they are making the least of you. Brethren are apt to think more of the debits than of the credits in a young believer; but there must be a balance. God is infinitely fair in taking account of His children, and He would give us all due credit. If anyone think little of himself, it is wholesome, but on the other hand some of us are hindered by thinking too little of ourselves. If you are a converted person, a believer in Jesus, you are a great personage, not as in the flesh surely, but according to divine reckoning — you have already made an impression in heaven! Your first movement towards Christ in repentance was the cause of joy in heaven, and has given you a status in heaven, and all that has followed in the way of faith has increased that impression in heaven. You began by causing joy in the presence of the angels of God, and every movement since in faith has increased that impression. So it is well to be balanced, and to understand that the work of God makes you something which is pleasing to God, and which is going to abide for ever. You say with the apostle Paul, you do not over-estimate or under-estimate, for you have your measure — “by the grace of God I am what I am”, 1 Corinthians 15: 10. So it is well to be balanced, and to bear in mind that the brethren have not the same means of knowing what is going on in your heart as the Lord has. On the other hand, the brethren are apt to think less of you than they should from the evidence they have, and that is how matters stood here.
Ananias was a brother, it would appear, not specially distinguished, but as we say a leading brother, in Damascus, and it would appear that the Lord regarded him in that way, and was determined that Ananias should not belie the confidence He was about to place in him. In local companies of brethren there is the idea of representation of Christ: we are of no moral value otherwise. We must be representative of Christ when called upon to act for Him, especially in regard of the “little ones”, because the brother who helps you — through whom light comes to you — will probably be the ideal of your mind at the outset, and hence the importance for the brother who seeks to help another to be truly in the spirit of Christ, and devoid of mere officialism. As representative of Christ, he must have “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ”. The Lord has all this in mind here, for this convert is to be properly cared for. If Saul had been taken up to heaven at that moment, how wonderfully he would have been treated! The Lord says “It is hard for thee” — He had sympathy with him. Angels would attend on him up there — he would get a wonderful reception — and that should be reflected here. It makes the position of service to those who are coming in amongst us a very solemn matter as to how we act towards them, how they are treated, because their first impression will be derived from the persons who are serving them.
The Lord says Saul has seen a vision, he had become blind, he was led by the hand into Damascus but he was not blind inwardly — he was capable of a vision. In it he sees a man coming to him by the name of Ananias.
[p. 521] The vision presented Ananias as he should be. To this end the Lord has to bring Ananias into accord with Himself. He must come up to the measure of the vision, otherwise the young convert who is to be served will be disappointed. Now what kind of man is Ananias? Is he going into the whole sinful course of Saul? Will he tell him he is a persecutor of Christ and of the saints? Saul knew better than Ananias that he was a persecutor. He had judged it, no doubt, more profoundly than Ananias. So the Lord, having sent the vision to Saul, sees to it that Ananias is in keeping with the vision; He appears to Ananias. He has His own way of moving inwardly. He speaks to him in a vision, saying “Ananias”. He calls him by name. How great was that honour! And it is the honour conferred on us now as acting for the Lord and in caring for souls. He knows the names of the brothers here, and all the meetings represented and who are acting for Him. The enemy will attack them if they are acting for Christ. Let us not speak against them! I am speaking about them as being in the spirit of Christ so as to act rightly.
Ananias is put right and the Lord commends the convert, and says to Ananias, “Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus, for, behold, he prayeth”, Acts 9: 11. No doubt, if Ananias as he met Saul were to ask him whether he prayed. Saul would say he did; and this is a good question to ask young people. I was having to do with a soul a short time ago who got light from the Lord after the preaching, and I asked her, “Do you pray?” “Yes”, she said, “I do”, and yet she was dark in her soul at the time and did not know her sins forgiven. “What do you say?” “Our Father which art in heaven”, etc. “Your Father? Where did you get the thought of God being your Father?” I inquired. She had just borrowed it from religious custom; and that is how matters stand with thousands of souls. She had no idea of the Father in [p. 522] her soul; but she got fight through the gospel a few minutes afterwards, I think she would now say, “Abba Father” — at least every intelligent christian says “Abba Father”. That is how Jesus spoke to the Father. I do not know how Saul had addressed God when he prayed. He certainly was not accustomed to use the precious terms of relationship that belong to christians. But the Lord says he is praying, and if the Lord says “behold he prayeth”, he was praying, and it is thus the Lord commends the convert.
It is very encouraging for young people when the Lord commends them; and He has His own way of telling the brethren that you enter into your closet and speak to Him. Every word that goes out from your heart is presented to God by Him. He is our Great Priest at the golden altar, every true prayer is made efficacious by Him there. Thus the Lord takes the matter in hand, and the Holy Spirit too, indeed it is through the Holy Spirit, of whom the Lord says He is another Comforter — meaning One that is by your side, who takes charge of every item of your case, whether in regard to the brethren or in regard of God, and sees to it that the brethren know about you — because it has to do with them, too.
Now Ananias makes his speech, and the Lord says, “Go”, for the Lord has authority. That is another thing we must keep in mind, that if the brethren do not just understand it, the Lord has to say to them, too. He has authority over them, so that if they are hesitating as to us we can afford to wait. It is better to do that than to push ourselves. You will remember the Lord compelled His disciples to go on board ship, and He can compel the brethren to think rightly of any of us. He says to Ananias, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me”, Acts 9: 15. What a commendation! An elect vessel! And He says moreover, “to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how [p. 523] great things he must suffer for my name’s sake”. How beautiful is the status the Lord gives him amongst the brethren! — and I believe He operates in that way with every one of us. We do not need to force ourselves; the Lord takes matters in hand and He works with the brethren, but He works with you too; and if He works with you and with them, you will come in and have a place no one else can fill.
Now the next thing I want to show you comes out in connection with Abraham. I do not suppose persons ordinarily in company with Abraham would have called him a prophet. He was called out of Mesopotamia and God appeared to him, wonderfully honoured him, stood by and cared for him, communicated His mind to him in regard to Sodom, saying, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” (Genesis 18: 17), but there is not a word about Abraham being a prophet before chapter 20: 7. That is the next thing, to learn how God takes account of us. You may say, ‘I have no gift, I never get an opportunity of preaching, I have no place among the brethren — no distinction whatever’. Scripture does not say a word about Abraham being a prophet, nor a word about him praying in the regular sense, until we come to this chapter, but he is both prophet and priest in the mind of God here. God had said this about Abraham.
This is the first mention of the word “prophet” in Scripture and the mention is to a heathen king in a vision — a very remarkable fact, showing how far afield God goes to bring about His thoughts, and how it should induce us to put ourselves in His hands. What the brethren are not taking notice of, God knows, and in due time it comes to light. You may have said some little thing to someone that was the mind of God to him or to her; you may have thought very little of it, but He bears it in mind. It may be you are in the habit of praying for some person, and you have attached but little importance to your service; but God attaches great [p. 524] importance to the prayers of His people. As a matter of fact your prayers are greater than Aaron’s. A little one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than John the baptist! I speak thus that we may learn to value such service as we render, so as to be encouraged to continue in it. A bedridden person can be greater than Aaron, carrying on his heart the needs of the saints, before God day and night, as he has opportunity. It is one of the greatest services. Abraham apparently had been accustomed to it; God knew that he could pray, and He says, “He shall pray for thee” — for this king of the Philistines. God does not say, “He may”, but he “shall” do it, as if to say, He is that kind of man — Psalm 105 refers to this incident, “he reproved kings for their sakes”. You think yourself of no account, but God does not think of you thus. If you are able to pray, or to say a word to a soul about God, you are of great account in heaven. God would ennoble His people, and would show us what He thinks of us. So He says to Abimelech, “he is a prophet, and will pray for thee”; according to the psalmist, “Touch not mine anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm”, Psalm 105: 15. When was Abraham anointed? God says he was anointed. He was anointed; in other words, was representative of God. That is the idea, that God had committed Himself to him in His own way, and if anyone touches him, he touches the apple of His eye. Thus God commends Abraham. He shows why He values him, in that he is a prophet, and he is a priest — he prays. And that is what everyone of us is according to God; all who have the Spirit are priests. Why not take up these great privileges? It belongs to sisters as well as brothers. It is no question of official place, but of an effective service, and so if you were speaking of such a one you would say, he or she is a priest, she prays. These are the most practical things that anyone can speak about; what has been said brings us all into the service, and answering to it would make our meetings [p. 525] living; they cease in our minds to be mere congregations with a few brothers looking after them.
Then there is another feature of our subject in Numbers 12. There are those who are specially addicted to the service of God, and they are the peculiar objects of the enemy’s attack, especially through envy. As soon as a man has any distinction in the way of divine ability given him by the anointing, he will be envied. The enemy’s way will be to produce envy in some heart against him, and “who is able to stand before envy?” It is a terrible thing! Moses had to experience it in a keen way here. It is Miriam and Aaron who speak against him; it began with the sister. Persons near to us in the flesh are as likely as any to speak against us. Miriam was Moses’ sister, and Miriam and Aaron spoke against him, because he had married an Ethiopian woman, but in truth it was more because of envy, that God had so honoured him, so distinguished him, that he was far beyond them. They themselves were great, for Miriam was a prophetess: we are told that she was, and Aaron was truly a priest. They were both most distinguished servants; but alas! in spite of this, they gave place to envy in their hearts against their brother, and thus the devil got in. But God never lets such things take their full course; He takes them in hand: as soon as we begin to feel things He intervenes. Thus we must always bring God in. There is no suggestion that Moses quarrelled or complained about their rivalry. The Holy Spirit puts in a beautiful word about him, “But the man Moses was very meek, above all men that were upon the face of the earth”. You could scarcely get a better commendation. If the Holy Spirit had said that he was the greatest gift of his day, it could not be so beautiful as this that he was the meekest man in all the earth. Anticipatively, he took on the character of the Man, Christ Jesus — the Man upon whom God had opened the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight”, Matthew 3: 17 [p. 526] and Matthew 17: 5. Moses had taken on something of His character. Jesus comes in on that line and says, “I am meek and lowly in heart”, Matthew 11: 29. But the Holy Spirit here puts it in parenthetically about Moses. It says Jehovah spake suddenly, as you will observe in verse 4. “The Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation”. Those who are envied are to be prayed for. Envy is a terrible thing — who can stand before it? But then God comes into this matter: He never fails, especially where the one envied is quiet, and leaves all in His hands. “Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent?” It is a matter for God. If I am envied, that is discipline for me, but it is a matter for God to take in hand, and He never fails to do it.
I want to show how beautifully He commends His servant here. First of all He says to the three, “Come out”; and the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forth; Moses is left behind. He is not the subject of judgment, but of commendation. This is a particularly fine passage in that respect. These two, sister and brother, are taken away from Moses. God acts very carefully, very formally, and very solemnly, and in doing so He speaks most beautifully about His servant. He says, “Hear now my words”, and we shall do well to listen to such words as having to deal with these matters in the assembly, and to see how God does things, “Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house”. Can you get a greater commendation than that in the Old Testament? I do not know of one. For forty years he bore with Israel’s manners on God’s behalf in the desert, and did it marvellously, and God knew it, and did not fail to make [p. 527] it known. And moreover He says that if there are prophets, they are not like him; he is distinguished above them. “With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
Well, that is all, but I commend to you this particular part of the subject, that in service if we are envied, the course is plain: not to vindicate ourselves, nor push ourselves, but to let God come in for us. He does it in His own time. I need not dwell on what follows. Jehovah departed, and the cloud departed. What a solemn thing! Israel for the time is left in the desert without a cloud, without a God, through this. How solemn therefore to sin in this way! Miriam becomes leprous, and all Israel has to stop marching; movement is stopped until the leprosy is healed, so serious is this matter. But I am speaking not of that, but rather of the commendation of Moses — the beautiful, forceful commendation that Jehovah gives His servant. There is no one like him, “wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” — not simply Moses, but My servant Moses.
May God bless these thoughts to each of us!