NORMAL ASSEMBLY RELATIONSHIP RESUMED
[p. 331] NORMAL ASSEMBLY RELATIONSHIP RESUMED
Revelation 1:1 - 3; Revelation 1:9 - 20; Revelation 22: 16 - 21
JT If we look at the beginning and end of Revelation we may see how the Lord returns to assembly relationships at the end of the dispensation. It would help us to see how the Lord, after communicating all that was judicial on account of the defection in the assemblies, returns at the end to direct communication to the assembly and addresses it in His own personal character, so to speak, as Jesus. In the last passage read the thought of distance is dropped, it is no longer a revelation to his bondman but He returns to the acknowledgment of the assembly. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify these things to you in the assemblies. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star”. It would help us to see that, and also to see that the assembly is prepared for Christ. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come”. She has appreciation of Him as so presented.
GN The beginning of Revelation shows the Lord in a judicial aspect. Was it on that account that John fell down? He had not seen Him before in that guise.
JT Just so; he was not accustomed to such habiliments. But what we find is that the Lord returns at the close to what He was among the twelve — the Man they had known, the Man the gospels present to us. The habiliments He appears in before John here point to the declension which had already set in; whereas the last chapter supposes that recovery had taken place so that He is free to address the assemblies directly. At the beginning of the book the message is addressed to John. “He sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John”.
[p. 332] It has exercised me, the way that has been made for the man of sin by people having been diverted from Jesus. God’s idea of a man is presented in Jesus, and recovery and preservation from the man of sin is in the revival of God’s thought, and in the Man that is presented by the Spirit.
GN That is a real touch of grace. It is what you get in the gospels.
JT Yes; they present that Man, and the gospel announced by the twelve and by Paul presents that Man, and the effect was that appreciation of Him was begotten. Now, there has been the giving up of that, and a return to such a man as you get in Simon Magus who gave out he was a “great one”. He would purchase what the apostles had to minister in order to add to himself. So too when the man of sin is brought in, he acquires all he can of Christianity and clothes himself in it to add to his greatness. Thus the conditions described in Revelation 2 and 3 have been brought about, but at the end of the book, the Lord announces Himself as Jesus, and the Spirit and bride appreciate Him; they say “Come”. They want that Man, not antichrist. It is a question of what sort of man we want. “If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive”, the Lord said. The end of Revelation shows that there has been recovery to Jesus. God presents His idea in a Man, and the feminine side then comes in. The idea is laid hold of and worked out femininely, so to speak. At the close, the bride is ready for the Man presented in the beginning.
GN Why is the Spirit connected with the bride?
JT He has done His work. He has been here all these centuries and never given up the divine thought, and now like Abraham’s servant He has brought the bride. It is like Rebecca at the end of the journey, she veils herself; it was Isaac who [p. 333] was to be seen, not Rebecca; she was not to shine in her own beauty but in Isaac’s. Thus in result, the assembly comes down from heaven in the grace and glory of Christ; the full measure of a Man is seen. Hence we need not be dismayed by conditions obtaining in the history of the assembly; God brings in at the end appreciation of Christ — the Man He delights in.
Ques Will you say something as to the place Philadelphia occupies now in the light of what you have been saying?
JT Philadelphia shows there has been a return to the appreciation of Christ. John is personally engaged with what is eternal, he is “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day”, a state suitable to the assembly calling. He is in circumstances suited to the testimony “in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus”, showing that he had that Man in his heart. It is all a question of what is in your heart; what is in your heart you bring out. John shows later that the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. The whole spirit and point of prophecy is to make room for that Man. Prophecy embraces all kinds of men — Gentile monarchies, kingdoms, etc., but the spirit of it is Jesus. Every opportunity the Spirit has, He suggests that order of man. It is to that Man the earth belongs. John was in the isle that is called Patmos for the testimony of Jesus — he had that Man before him. He was also in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, that is, he was occupied with what is eternal.
GN John comes forward when declension sets in.
JT He was like a reserve man. Christ did not tell Peter anything about John. Peter would like to have known. “Lord”, he enquires, “what shall this man do”? But John was following — Peter might [p. 334] have known he would be available as needed by the Lord. He did not decline; he was in a state suitable to the assembly on the Lord’s day, abstracted from the world, and occupied with what is eternal.
GN This characterised his ministry.
JT He was engaged, we may say, with his heavenly calling, and the Lord calls him back. Hence the voice is behind John. It must have been a painful thing for John to turn from his proper calling, to be engaged with the assembly in her sad declension. So instead of communicating from heaven, the Lord appears in judicial garb.
Rem This would give John’s epistle an important place.
JT Particularly his gospel, as, morally at least, it comes after the Revelation. The gospel was probably written later. The Lord is using John to tell the assembly about its declension and the judgments consequent on that declension; his gospel provides for the saints in view of this; it brings in heavenly things, that which refers directly to the assembly.
GN What is the thought of the golden lamps?
JT The Lord would call John’s attention to what was set up here as a witness, then it says, “In the midst of the seven lamps one like the Son of man ... and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle”. It is the very opposite of John 13, where He was girded with a towel; in Revelation His affections are pent up; they cannot go out to the assembly, because of her state.
GN It all indicates that the Lord had a controversy with her.
JT Yes. In what met John’s gaze, this and the other features — His head and His hairs white like wool; eyes as a flame of fire; feet like unto fine brass, etc. — all referred to the declension; the Lord was still there but in the character of a Judge.
JF How is it that under these circumstances [p. 335] John does not appear in a judicial or official character, but as a brother?
JT He does not call himself an apostle, simply a brother — “your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ”. This attitude would secure the confidence of those who were self-judged. The assembly was not all gone; a remnant is supposed, and it is very comforting to such to have a brother, though distance does exist.
Rem If assembly state had not been there in John, he would not have been able to look at what the Lord called his attention to.
JT Just so. In taking the place of a brother he puts himself in sympathy with those he addresses. It is a precious thought. A brother is born for adversity. The assembly is in adversity; sin has come in; how comforting then to know that the messenger from Christ is your brother and your companion in tribulation!
GN The spiritual would discern him.
JT Many do today. John has a place in the affections of the assembly next to Paul; he comes down to where the saints are.
Ques Which is the greater from a moral point of view — a brother or an apostle?
JT A brother. He is born for adversity. John introduces himself in this way in the time of the assembly’s adversity. The apostle is connected with inauguration; the brother with continuance.
GN The way he addresses the assemblies would appeal to the affections of those who were right, he manifested the spirit of Christ.
JT Quite so; he represents what appears at the end — the spirit that is seen in the bride. Recovery is in the spirit of John. Philadelphia is “brotherly love”. Recovery lies in brotherly affection. It is a brother the Lord sends.
[p. 336] Rem There is nothing official about a brother.
JT No, there is a chord of sympathy. The idea of an apostle is authority, but every apostle is a brother or he would not be qualified to be an apostle.
Ques What is the difference between the testimony of Jesus and the testimony of the Lord?
JT The testimony of our Lord implies His authoritative place; the testimony of Christ is a question of the anointed Man, what God would bring to pass by that Man. Philip preached Christ to the Samaritans, whereas the same evangelist presented Jesus to the eunuch. The latter sets forth the Man. The testimony of the Lord is the kingdom; the testimony of God is what God is — involving a wider circle. The testimony of Jesus is exceedingly interesting; it is the pattern Man, the order of man with which the earth will be peopled. The whole spirit of prophecy is to make room for that Man, and the race that springs from Him. “Of whom speaketh the prophet this”, the eunuch enquires, “of himself or of some other man?” Philip thereupon announces Jesus to him. “Well, if that is the kind of man”, the eunuch says in effect, “I must go, I am not like that Man”. He was very different, and he knew it. In being baptized he virtually says, “I am not fit to be seen, that Man is”. The eunuch would thus by the Spirit take on His character.
DG The presentation of Jesus would produce His features in the believer.
JT The Spirit is not satisfied till that Man takes your place. It is a question of working out His character in each one of us.
GN What is the thought of “the word of God”, verse 9?
JT When the word of God is mentioned it is a question of His mind, but then we have here the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. If the assembly had been content with that Man we would [p. 337] never have had chapters 2 and 3 of this book, nor the presentation of Christ in this judicial character. It all arises because the assembly was turning to some other man. Amid all that, it is very interesting to find that John had not declined; he had to be called back from his heavenly privilege.
GN He was in an out-of-the-world condition.
JT Yes; something we know very little about, but it was common in the early days. No one is fit to touch prophecy till he has known the heavenly. You may map out things, but you do not arrive at anything. The man who tells us about these things is the man who is in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.
Ques Is this state in keeping with Ephesians?
JT Exactly. If the beauty of the Man had been maintained in the saints there would have been no leaving of first love. The assembly quickly moved away from Christ. Paul was the reflection of Christ in Ephesus, and yet in his letter to Timothy, the sad fact comes out that he was disregarded. Among other things he says, “All they which are in Asia be turned away from me”. The way Samuel was treated corresponds. The most stiff-necked in Israel could not deny that he was a prophet and that he faithfully served Israel; no one dared to say anything different, and yet in face of that the people would displace him by a king. So with Paul; the light the saints in Asia had came from him, and yet they turned away from him. It is a keen test in ministry; the power of it cannot be denied, and yet there is disregard for the vessel of it. There was no thought yet of apostasy, it was simply that Satan came in and dislodged the apostle from the minds and hearts of the saints; and this meant that Christ was losing His place with them.
GN John’s ministry produced the state necessary for recovery.
JT When Peter asked the Lord what John would do. He did not disclose what would happen.
[p. 338] It became current among the brethren that the apostle would not die, but John in writing of it adds, “yet Jesus said not unto him. He shall not die, but If I will that he tarry till I come” — John does not enlighten our curiosity either; he just leaves it. The book of Revelation is the explanation of it. The Lord always has a reserve; such are usually kept out of sight till the time arrives that they are needed.
JF You are prepared for such instruction as laying down your life for the brethren, by John’s writings.
JT John lays the basis for what will hold in declension; that is life and the place the brethren have in the counsels of God. They are the brethren of Christ — John 20. The spirit of Christ thus marks them; as His brethren He breathed into them.
GN What is the force of the word to John — “Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the living one”?
JT He controlled all and was the living One; He identified Himself with John, laying His right hand upon him. John was to serve in a living way. All this judicial array had no reference to John personally. There was nothing in John to condemn; he was quite immune from all this. Furthermore the Lord says, “and have the keys of death and of hades” — the control of all evil. It is a great comfort that the Lord has the keys of death and hades, that no evil can touch you unless He permit it.
AF The ministry in the gospel of John would be for recovery.
JT Yes; it furnishes and supports the saints in the last days. Its peculiarity has been recognized by all, but its significance is being specially proved now. When the Revelation was given, all was to be written in a book and sent to the different assemblies. John’s gospel would support the remnant in this state of [p. 339] things. In Revelation he opens up the responsible side, putting responsibility on each assembly; and while fully owning all that was commendable, what was wrong would be dealt with. The Lord places the responsibility where it belongs; He fixes it; like Deuteronomy 21, fixing responsibility as to the slain man. Then you get the penalty attached to failure. But what about the remnant? Those who love Jesus need more than that. The gospel of John comes in. Sardis had a name to live and was dead; a title without an income; a name without life. The gospel of John brings in life, so there is revival, and Philadelphia is the product of that. There Christ has His place, and what goes with the position is alluded to in the address to the overcomer. John’s gospel in a sense brings about Philadelphian conditions, and enables Christ to announce Himself to the assembly at the close as if there were no distance.
DG Does the fixing of responsibility produce recovery, or is it the presentation of the Person?
JT It is due to God that responsibility should be fixed. If trouble is in a meeting it is right to fix it, but recovery is by the presentation of Christ according to the aspect of His Person that may be needed to meet the particular conditions.
GN John gives a reason for writing.
JT Yes; his gospel was written “that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life in his name”.
GN What brings in Laodicea?
JT The light the Lord has graciously given has been taken up by natural ability, and man clothes himself with it; thus the way is made for antichrist, and God is shut out.
GN Light and intelligence in the truth apart from subjective state.
JT Yes. There was no travail in Laodicea.
[p. 340] hence nothing for God was brought forth. In Philadelphia there had evidently been travail, so Christ in character is brought forth.
Ques Will you say a little as to the fixing of responsibility?
JT The addresses to the seven assemblies fixed the evil in its varied forms that had arisen in them. Take Ephesus; a certain thing marked that assembly, and the Lord brings it home and calls for repentance, and if repentance does not become manifest there is penalty. The gospel of John supports those who judge themselves. In Ephesus there is the effort to recall the saints to first works, but you do not get that after Thyatira. After that the saints are pointed on to what will be; they are to hold fast what they have until the Lord comes.
JM That which encourages the individual overcomer will form the blessing in a universal way. Compare Revelation 2: 26 - 27.
GN Why does it say “to the assemblies” and not “to the assembly”?
JT Local responsibility is in view. There is no such thought as a general council; each assembly is locally responsible. The addresses to the assemblies establish the principle of local responsibility. Ephesus is not held responsible for the sin of Thyatira and vice versa. The responsibility is fixed where it belongs. But these assemblies are also symbolical of successive periods in the history of the whole assembly.
It is very beautiful the way the Lord returns to the simple attitude of Jesus — “I Jesus”. He comes back to the thought of the Man; and then the Spirit and the bride say, “Come”. This is not to go to where Christ is, but to bring Him in here. Of course the Lord will come for the assembly and take her to heaven, but this is not the point here.
DG [p. 341] If you judge the spirit of antichrist, your heart rises to the presentation of Jesus.
JT Yes, and you wish Him here.
“We look for Thine appearing;
Thy presence here to bless”. (200:4)
GN “The hidden man of the heart” is the ideal.