2 CHRONICLES 8 (NOTES OF A READING)

2 CHRONICLES 8 (NOTES OF A READING)

2 Chronicles 8: 1 -11

CAC We can see how all this corresponds very definitely to the present time. It was a time of building.

Ques Would it be the general thought of administration?

CAC Yes. The first thing in the chapter is clearly that Solomon is a great builder and the present time is a time of divine building.

Rem Matthew 16 would be going on now.

CAC And God is spoken of as the One who has built all things, and in Hebrews Christ is also spoken of as having more honour than the house, because He built it. We have been occupied with the house a good deal, but it is well to remember that the One who builds has more honour than the house. I think the object of the Spirit of God is to interest us in what is going on.

Rem “Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it” (Psalm 127: 1).

CAC We have all to be made to realise that whatever we may seek to do comes to nothing except God be in it. But God is in this matter of building. The apostle says, “Ye are ... God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3: 9). It is what is going on; and it is our privilege as divinely taught to know it, so that we may contribute to what is in hand. Is that not the thought? Most religious building today is done without Christ for He is cast aside as worthless, but in true building He is the pre-eminent One. All building supposes a plan; it supposes carefully selected material. These cities are brought in to show that wherever Solomon’s dominion extended this building was going on. It might refer to local assemblies. Verse 16 comes in as if to say we must include all this building in the completion of the house. The absolute statement of completion is deferred till the end of the chapter.

A very important feature is that building should go on in all localities where Solomon’s dominion is owned. It is one mark of his rule. Satan is busy on all hands in pulling down. It has continued since the work of the house began. But the administration of Christ always operates on the line of building. It is what we should seek to promote in each other. Every occasion of contact we have is an opportunity for building; there is nothing in it otherwise more than in a worldly gathering.

Rem “The assemblies then throughout the whole of Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified and walking in the fear of the Lord” (Acts 9: 31).

CAC The assemblies were to be edified. It is a lovely illustration of the thing. We should look out for opportunities to pass on some divine thought. If something of God is built into a soul, it is to abide and form part of the city “of which God is the artificer and constructor” (Hebrews 11: 10). What a privilege to have the opportunity of building something that will have a part in that city, for that will be permanent!

Rem Jude speaks of “building yourselves up on your most holy faith”, referring to the end of the time.

CAC That is good, and exactly in line with what we are saying. Souls need to be continually built up even in what they know. We think sometimes perhaps that it is useless to speak to a brother of something as he knows it all. Never think such a foolish thought; it is simply folly.

Rem “Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things” (Galatians 6: 6).

CAC What a person has known for many years, we might bring home to him for the first time as a spiritual reality. He may have heard it a thousand times, and the next time it comes to him in reality. He says, ‘I never saw it before’. We should never think therefore it is no good speaking of such and such a thing to someone because he knows it better than I do. Building is not limited to believers; there is material to be secured. All leads up to the full service of Solomon; all is to contribute to that, as we see at the end of the chapter.

Ques The first building is to put the people of God together, would you say?

CAC What is of God is so put in the souls of saints that they will not be comfortable until they find what corresponds, where they fit in. Many believers find they do not fit in, and deplore it. They should find conditions where they can be built in with their fellow saints so as to contribute to the service of God. It is not a lot of talking; sometimes we hinder by saying too much. It is better to say one sentence in the power of the anointing. Building involves the careful selection of material. Nothing is more delightful than to come across a heart that is ready to receive spiritual impressions. God is going on with it, so it raises the question whether I am going on with it. God is, Christ is, and the Spirit is; but are we? Are we ready and available?

Rem The conditions are peaceful here. “The assemblies then ... had peace, being edified”, it says in Acts 9: 31.

CAC I think that is it exactly. So the thing is to use the opportunity. What is built into my soul, whether much or little, is of great value, because God can use it in His building operations; and the thing is to make it as available as we can. Things are to be passed on. Timothy had to entrust to faithful men what he had heard of the apostle. Every bit of spiritual substance is to be passed on. It is to be kept moving.

Ques They had to build with trowel and sword in Nehemiah’s day. Is that true now?

CAC Yes, because it is a difficult time; you cannot leave the sword at home.

Ques The house is an established fact, but is the working out going on today?

CAC Yes, it is what we generally get in these types in the temple; we see the complete thought. We have to work to it, keep it in mind. Paul says his ministry of the word of God, of the mystery, is a completed thing; but the working out of it is a different thing. The bars, gates and walls show how necessary divine principles are for the security of things; they go along with the building. The building is the establishment in saints. Paul said he longed to communicate to the Roman saints some spiritual gift to “establish you”.

This extensive view is very necessary, and should be kept in mind if the thing is to be worked out profitably and practically. Divine principles are all for the safeguarding and development of what is of God in the souls of His people. The cities are very suggestive. The assembles should take on all these features, so there would be an accumulation of food and resource available in time of need, a supply in time of famine that can be fallen back upon.

Ques Would it be like the Lord speaking to the disciples of the things “concerning me in the law of Moses and prophets and psalms”? (Luke 24: 44).

CAC It is like that, and His opening their understanding was like giving them the key of the storehouse. They are not practically available in the Scriptures, but in the saints. The angels see it in the saints. Things are to take form in the saints.

Rem There seems to be little effect made on people.

CAC We have not any experience today that the Lord had not, and His servants. The apostles were not much thought of when they were alive, that is my thought; they were occupied in the building down here, making the storehouses. It is worked out as we are in contact with one another. It cannot be worked out with persons the other side of the world exactly.

Then it seems to me that we get the two great principles on which service goes on brought out in the use Solomon made of the Canaanites and the children of Israel — very different principles, but both operative (verses 7 - 10). Under Solomon’s dominion the most refractory and unlikely material can be used. For instance, an insolent and overbearing man, Saul of Tarsus, was subdued, and the Lord brought him under tribute, and put a levy upon him; He conscripted him. He magnifies His own grace and power in subduing him and making him tributary. Paul says necessity is laid upon him to preach; he is obliged to do it, the levy is upon him. The Lord reserves His sovereign right to take up anybody and make him serve, whether he likes it or not. The Lord shows His skill, it is the great skill of the exalted Christ and part of His glory that He can make rebellious persons contributory; and it says, “until this day”. That is, the principle continues, it is always true. If we have been very refractory ourselves, we know how to deal with those who are. I have always been sorry for people who have been very pliable in the Lord’s hands; they miss a great deal. I was never one of that sort, I assure you.

The Israelites serve in liberty, and take up service that involves initiative and leadership. I think these two principles blend in the Lord’s servants. He would not have us forget how refractory we have been and the obligation rests on us; that is one side. The other side is, as Paul did in this wonderful dispensation of grace, to know God in liberty and love, so that we serve without constraint. We serve in simplicity and dignity, as qualified to undertake the service. The Lord always served in the liberty of sonship. Sometimes we do a thing because our conscience will not let us neglect it. We all know something about that. It enters into the divine ways, the levy. They are brought under tribute, and must do certain things.

Rem It says in Matthew 11, “For my yoke is easy”.

CAC We are a long time before we come to Matthew 11. We have to deal with both principles.

Rem It should be easy to serve Christ.

CAC Yes, but it is never easy to the flesh to serve Christ! The natural will is always against Christ.

Rem Mark turned from his service.

CAC Mark finishes his gospel by showing the utter hopelessness of anything of ourselves. Not one has faith and the Lord has to take the matter in hand Himself. In the last chapter there is nothing the Lord can do anything with, there is nothing but unbelief; He has to undertake the whole matter in hand.

Rem “I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1: 17).

CAC And He has to make us do things often. It is happier to work on the principle of the children of Israel, who moved in the liberty of divine calling without any constraint. But the two things work together, do you not think?

Ques Would the lordship and headship of Christ illustrate it?

CAC And we are to remember it always. Do you think Paul would ever forget it in dealing with a refractory brother? He would say, ‘This man is a great trial, but I know I was worse than he’.